A Lower Deep Black Marys
by John Kindred
A Lower Deep was forged in ’01 by vocalist Billy Mullican, guitarist Troy Reid and bassist Tim Umstead. After each plied their trade in various bands that were going nowhere, the trio united, in what they describe as the “perfect vehicle,” to bring their musical vision to fruition.
Their latest musical endeavor, Black Marys, lyrically appears to loosely apply the term “Black Marys,” taken from the series of novels written by Greg Keyes called The Kingdom of Thorn and Bone. The term describes nightmares that are vivid and horrific, as well as real life events so unreal they could by nightmares come to life. So the lyrical content here follows that same line of thinking, which is the emotional, spiritual or physical nightmarish horrors that appear in dreams or real life.
The album consists of 10 songs, including the title track “Black Marys.” A Lower Deep combines elements of thrash and heavy metal with a dark, brooding, yet doom-like vibe. They also pull in elements of the more extreme genres of metal, specifically on the opening track, “Bleed,” which places death vocals in its opening sequence that ultimately confounds the listener into thinking, “What is coming up next?”
The real voice of A Lower Deep, Mullican, enters about a minute into “Bleed.” His vocals are quite removed from the guttural growls. Mullican’s voice is the perfect match for the dark, brooding musical jaunts of the band. Plenty of double bass fury intertwines with the riffs provided by guitarist Troy Reid. From heavy riffs, crunchy rhythms to flashy, intricate solos, Reid shows he is in command of his instrument.
From a production stand point, all aspects of the instrumentation and vocals clearly are audible. At times, the guitar and bass lay down simultaneous runs. It is easy to distinguish both instruments performing together and yet hear them independently of each other. Layered harmony vocals fatten up the sound, and death vocal accompaniment make appearances throughout the CD.
Not sure if one walking away from listening to Black Marys will find that one particular song or melody will be stuck in their head. Maybe A Lower Deep isn’t that kind of band. Actually, you may need time to wrap your head around the lyrical content to understand the pacing of the album. Paying attention to the use of genre specific embellishments, such as death metal vocals, may help you understand the band’s ode to a world of nightmares, whether in dreamscapes or in the waking world.
Label: Independent
Web: http://www.alowerdeep.com/
Band:
Billy Mullican – Lead & Backing Vocals
Tim Umstead – Bass & Backing Vocals
Troy Reid – 6 & 7 String Guitars
Anthony Tipton – Drums
Track Listing:
1. Bleed
2. Black Marys
3. Dead House Gates
4. Facing the Demon
5. Hamartia- mp3
6. The Maudlin Child
7. The Narrow Way
8. Children of Cain
9. For Those Left Behind
10. Revelation
Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10