Project Armageddon
Departure

October 2010
Released: 2009, Shattered Man Records
Rating: 3.0/5
Reviewer: Aaron Yurkiewicz

Formed by ex-Well of Souls alumni, Texas’ Project Armageddon is a 3-piece traditional doom outfit currently supporting their debut full length, DEPARTURE. Cranking out melodic stoner sludge in the familiar vein of Sabbath, Vitus, Pentagram, and their ilk, DEPARTURE isn’t without its flaws, but it is a good introduction.



DEPARTURE features nine songs of pretty straight ahead doom. If that’s your thing, there’s a lot to like here. Though opener “Plague for Shattered Man” feels a little stiff, “Psyko-Sonic” settles into a hazy, Planet Caravan influenced jam, which is where Project Armageddon excels. The tune segues into the instrumental parts I & II of “The Reckoning of Ages,” and then volleys back with the crunchy stomp of “Steward of Shame.” “Time’s Fortune” is another mellow tune, reminiscent of Pentagram’s more esoteric moments. The album closes with the title track, featuring some groove laden riffs and some bluesy bass lines. The one sticking point for me on DEPARTURE is Dok Hollada’s vocals. He’s got a high register, nasal-y delivery that sounds a lot like Nuclear Assault’s John Connelly, which sounds out of place given the dense, low tuned crunch of the music. On tunes like the aforementioned “Time’s Fortune,” he brings it in a more palatable manner, and sounds like a young Bobby Liebling.



Overall, Project Armageddon gets the vibe right and the songs feel sincere to the genre. The band faithfully waves the flag of doom and you get the sense that there’s a lot of potential with the trio. While not a groundbreaking effort, doomphiles may find DEPARTURE to be an entertaining way to spend 45 minutes.