SOL are not a band I am familiar with. It has been a while since I picked up an album not out of interest, but out of a sense of obligation. As well as having no history with the band’s previous outings, I fully depend on the Promo Sheet provided by the label – and promo sheets are a place sometimes populated by half-truths and hyperbole. Strangely, I, Voidhanger have given me a very descriptive blurb this time around: Emil Brahe used to make folk-tinged doom with rich additional instrumentation under the name SOL before, but now he is being joined by an illustrious group of instrumentalists. The name of the album appears to reflect that and the musicians seem to have had some input in how the tracks are going. The album oscillates between droney soundscapes that come across as somewhat improvised, and more focused gothic-leaning classic Doom. I am not aware of the methodology of improvisation used here, whether there were rules or guidelines, but the droney sections of the album are pleasant and even provide a sense of mental relief, as they manage to feel light despite the density of instrumental performances. Paying attention to the texture, one can make out the individual musicians and the drone sections seem more purposefully constructed than many other acts of this ilk could muster.
The contrast between outright drone and more concrete material is one of the driving points of the album. The Doom sections of the album are solid as well, but I can´t help but feel that the choices in sound and additional instrumentation are used as a crutch. The writing, especially how it leads to guitar and bass work, is as minimal as it can be and serves as little more than a basis for the equally simple vocal lines, which are mostly sung on single notes and heavily enhanced by reverb. The harmonic and rhythmic framework of the doom inspired songs doesn´t do a lot by itself and it seems the additional instrumentation is there to make up for it. I suspect that the repetitive Doom Metal was written like that on purpose, to give the other musicians a relatively empty canvas to explore. Concerning that, sadly I don´t find the exploration all that interesting or meaningful. Promethean Sessions is an album about sound and I am sure it offers a more satisfying experience if you are in the room among the people producing it. The sound is pleasant, good even, but ultimately lacks depth on a compositional level. Compared to a group like Neptunian Maximalism, SOL are not indulgent in the slightest. While the length seems appropriate for what the album is, some instrumental ecstasy, some highs and yes, even indulgence could have elevated a record that should benefit more from the interplay of the musicians involved than it currently does.
