Canadian doom warriors Smoulder are gearing up to release the follow-up to their 2019 debut album on March 13.
Titled Dream Quest Ends, the release also serves as the band's first EP and continues where the sword and sorcery of Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring left off–epic doom mixed with the mighty spirit of traditional heavy metal.
Mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Pig Destroyer, Power Trip), and with cover art illustrated by Michael Whelan (Cirith Ungol, Sepultura), the band is cementing its status among NWOTHM heavyweights; including the likes of Haunt, Idle Hands and Bewitcher; by its fantasmic fixation on the subgenre.
"Musically, this EP is very inspired by the unusual and jilting cadence and understated epic style of Manilla Road’s early releases," says Smoulder frontwoman Sarah Kitteringham. "'Warrior Witch of Hel' is inspired by the book of the same name and lyrically was a relatively easy one to write – once that “Warrior Witch of Hel, doomed slave marked for death!” cadence clicked, it fell together quite quickly.
"Before that, I had written about 15 different versions of lyrics about death and necromancy that simply weren’t working. It was such a relief when things finally clicked, and it felt good to make another barbarian doom song that feels in line with The Gates of Slumber and Minotauri. [Plus, the song is] about a bad ass warrior fighting a sorcerer who transforms into a demon dragon!"
