Review: Thod – “Asklepios”
Band: “Asclepius” is a concept album about diseases (a theme we chose long before the pandemic). Each song is based on a single riff that evolves according to the needs of the piece. Hard German vocals add to the gloomy atmosphere we create, while small touches of saxophone, EWI, theremin or other unexpected instruments add an eeriness to our sound.
Info: founded in 2018 / Texts on German
Album: 9 tracks of 51 min – 17.02.23 released
As the title suggests, it goes happily into the blackest Doom, whereby surprisingly German lyrics are presented here. As a concept album with the eponymous god of healing, a corpse fledderer as cover image and the wonderful titles like: “Bloodletting”, “Epidemic” the content is not really unexpected. Diseases are (not) an edifying topic, but what Thod makes of it is unusual.
Croaking throughout the album accompanied by alternating tempi of the instruments provide variety in the ear canal. (I see in my mind’s eye, such a crazy plague doctor with plague mask walk through the abandoned corridors of a sanatorium, rats scurry across the floor and the ratchet creaks – memo to me: NO more scary movies!).
“Bloodletting” was often practiced to “remove bad juices and diseases from the body”. Most often it was successful, the patient died of exhaustion or blood loss. The theme is a bit more poetic with Thod: you can literally feel the blood flowing out of you when the doctor opens the vein.
And if you only wonder what happened in Calcutta in 1817 – the first Asian cholera pandemic started and lasted until 1824, with millions of people dying as a result. (Thanks to Wiki)
Conclusion: Unusual, vocally as well as lyrically. Doom on German, excellent mastering. Those who are not afraid to immerse themselves in the texts and sympathize with them, welcome to the plague house.
Tracklist:
1. Pestkreuzzug
2. Ich schenke dir eine Ratsche
3. Hundswut
4. Wunde, Kieferkrampf und Tod
5. Aderlass
6. Orthopox
7. Kalkutta 1817
8. Seuche
9. Ich trage die Krone
THOD are:
Vinz Dolorosa: Guitars, bass, drums, percussions, music
Alex Cluet: Vocals, lyrics
Daniel Palomo Vinuesa: Saxophone, EWI, theremin, arrangements