One might guess that a group by the name of Soothsayer would be inherently forward-looking. Yet, this has not always been the case for this five-piece from Cork, Ireland. In his review of their debut full-length Echoes of the Earth, Cherd highlighted the primitive sound of Soothsayer’s brand of atmospheric sludge/doom while also noting signs of a contemporary mindset shift. Now that sophomore record The Unbinding is here, has Soothsayer advanced to the next age, or are they still planted in the past?
For better or worse, Soothsayer has jettisoned most of their former sludgy, fuzzy disposition while maintaining a firm hold on the doom metal. Perhaps as a consequence of this modification, the production is clearer and facilitates a greater impact of this slow, deliberate groundwork. Soothsayer honors history this time by combining their flavor of doom with lightly folkened black metal. Though the Celtic influence in The Unbinding is not as prominent as the Romanian folk music that courses through the veins of Sur Austru and Negură Bunget, I can’t help but notice similarities. In spite of the numerous ways in which Soothsayer sounds different than before, one key aspect that has not changed is their heavy emphasis on atmosphere.
Yet, The Unbinding often neglects a few crucial requirements for immersion in atmospheric music—consistency and continuity. This is evident to some extent in the compositions themselves, wherein the murky black metal and the lucid doom metal don’t always mesh together effectively. For instance, the agitated drumming and blackened riffs that open and close “Eroding the Sky” feel like misdirections with little tie-in to the substance of the song. But the main source of discomfort—at least for me—arises from the vocal delivery. Liam Hughes’s performances are more varied than on Echoes of the Earth, which should be a good thing, but they end up being distracting as they jostle between growls, snarls, and shouts. The shouts are particularly disruptive in “The Vine,” where they tend to overpower the instrumentation. Clean vocals are utilized sparingly with mixed results, sounding drab in “Sooner Acceptance” but vibrant in “A Vague Shimmer.”
There are times, though, when The Unbinding is steadier and, therefore, more digestible. The beginning of “Endless Shesha” ventures into funeral doom territory with purposeful guitar notes and deep, rumbling growls. The song then patiently builds in a sensible fashion, eventually erupting into a blackened climax that feels earned this time. Bringing up the rear of The Unbinding, “A Vague Shimmer” is the most potent amalgamation of atmospheric elements; the mystical guitar tone, meditative chanting, and tom-centric percussion all complement one another and bear the strongest resemblance to Sur Austru. Soothsayer’s policy of no track being under 7 minutes suits these two standout songs, but the other three tracks on The Unbinding don’t hold up as well under the weight of long durations.
The Unbinding sees Soothsayer make sonic advancements, albeit in a muddled manner. They attempt to conjure an occult atmosphere at all times, but appear indecisive about its nature. Although I am usually a fierce advocate for dynamic songwriting, in this case Soothsayer’s stylistic diversification comes at the expense of overall coherence. Certain compositional choices work well for me—if “Endless Shesha” is any indication, I would be interested to hear Soothsayer pivot toward funeral doom in the future. Other aspects, mainly the black metal parts, didn’t appeal to me as much, though they may be more enticing to other listeners. All in all, I expect that mileage could vary considerably, so I recommend a complete spin of The Unbinding before making a decision.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings
Websites: apocalypticwitchcraft.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/soothsayerdoom
Releases Worldwide: July 3rd, 2026
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