Electric Wizard's "We Live" (2004) is an underrated and often overlooked doom metal album. In 2000 Electric Wizard released "Dopethrone". It's power, intensity, and brilliance can most likely never be reached again. They out-doomed Black Sabbath. It was the heaviest doom metal album on the planet. Then came their very weak and disappointing 2002 follow-up "Let Us Prey". I think this album turned many fans off, leaving their great 2004 album "We Live" unnoticed."We Live" is a monumental effort in the world of stoner metal. It is very heavy, sludgy, droning, feedback laden, melodic, atmospheric doom...heavily psychedelic, very slow, but very listenable. Whereas their classic 'Dopethrone" relied on fuzz, distortion, shouted vocals, and a very low end speaker rattling element in it's sound, "We Live" is much more subtle, artful, and melodic. This is the kind of doom I like to listen to...like a cross between Saint Vitus and Godflesh in their prime. This album only has six songs and all are great. My two favorites are the maddening drone of "Eko Eko Azarak", and the black hole like depression of "Another Perfect Day" and "The Sun Has Turned to Black". Highly recommended. Exquisite doom.
Electric Wizard continue to produce great material. Their 2007 release "Witchcult Today" combines the more melodic aspects of "We Live" with the ugly fuzz of "Dopethrone" with brain damaging results. Also, the band is due to begin work on a new album as we speak.
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