Austrian label Napalm recently released Beg Upon The Light, the debut full length of Texan act Venomous Maximus. This outfit around frontman Gregg Higgins created a concept that isn’t that unusual in this kind of Music, i.e. the darkest vision of occultism. The album brings a modern and catchy mixture of Dark Rock, Stoner and Doom Metal with a very darkened, occult atmosphere. It’s melodic and, at the same time, rocking, it’s modern and traditional, it’s catching and obscure. This is a purest underground-oriented release that sounds rather like Danzig than Black Sabbath, or rather NWOBHM-oriented than Traditional Modern Doom (hehe, it’s a joke: ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ all in once; but I’m referring to a connection closer to Witchfinder General or Mercyful Fate than Trouble [even though there are some links to these masters of Traditional Doom, i.e. the earliest works of Trouble, as well; and so are -let’s be honest- Sabbath and the likes too, for sure] or Pentagram)… And even though the vocals aren’t always as enthralling, it sort of gives the whole a specific feeling of unfomfort; and what’s more, what about the few different vocal contributions, i.e. shouts and screams. On top of it, the band comes with some rare, exceptional excerpts that really do enlighten the darkness of the album (with a short intermezzo like "Father Time" as example)… Seriously, the Doom scene nowadays brings forth hundreds of shitty acts, but at the same time an enormous amount of splendid combos, and Venomous Maximus belong, at least what is about my concern, to that second category.