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Aluhnah's White Hoarhund layers classic epic doom on top of fuzzy stoner metal. The riffs are huge, the melodies are catchy, and the soaring voice of Sophie Day is just beautiful. The songs are driven by these simple and effective riffs, but that doesn't mean they all sound the same. There are fluid changes in song structures and tempos, as the detailed review from The Obelisk puts it: "while it’s the riffs being followed, the destination changes". Alunah is band that manages to be both doomy and dynamic.
The title track features the best of the many great choruses on the album. Plus an exemplary use of the fuzzy fade, followed by the triumphant return of the melody. In this interview with The Sludgelord Sophie Day details the creation of the song.
"We went up the Great Orme which is a huge, beautiful headland which I've been going to since I was in the womb! We were reading some info about the plants which were natural to the area. White Hoarhound (normally spelt White Horehound) was one of them and was used by the monks to treat coughs and general lung conditions. In my head there and then I wrote the song."
The album closes with the two parter Oak Ritual I and II. I is stripped down as Sophie Day harmonizes with herself accompanied by acoustic guitars and Hammond organ. II starts as a 'typical' Alunah song, but then goes all psychedelic on us, and finishes with an explosive solo. And after a long pause the Hammond organ returns and delivers a suitably haunting ending. Way to go.
