Release Date September 25th, 2026
Format CD
Genre Epic/Doom Metal
Origin UK
Desolate Pathway formed in 2014 in Kent as a quartet, founded by Vinny Konrad, a former guitarist of the British traditional doom band Pagan Altar. The band plays epic traditional doom with heavy riffs, melodic atmospheric parts and lyrics about fantasy and myth, quests, death and destruction. Konrad writes the music and lyrics with Maz Magzilla, and Barry Copestake adds backing vocals on two tracks.
“Visions In Death” presents nine tracks of epic traditional doom across forty minutes, built on slow guitar riffs, melancholic melodies and extended lead guitar harmonies. The production places the guitars at the centre, allowing the melodic lines to take precedence over the restrained drumming and measured vocal delivery. The mix has a somewhat muffled quality in places, which takes some definition away from the instrumental balance, although it also lends the music a shadowy atmosphere. “The Dark Prince” draws on gothic horror imagery, with its sinister lyrical theme supported by measured riffs and melodic guitar work. “Vampire’s Kiss” explores seduction and predatory desire, while the stories surrounding nocturnal creatures and malevolent entities give the album a consistent supernatural theme.
The songwriting favours traditional doom structures and memorable guitar melodies over speed or instrumental complexity, with the lead work providing most of the variation across the songs. Konrad handles the bulk of the performance, giving the album a personal character, although the restrained vocal approach can limit the dramatic range of some compositions. The backing vocals add another shade to the material without changing its overall direction.
The five year writing and recording process has resulted in an album that leans towards melancholy and dark romanticism, with less emphasis on triumphant epic metal and more attention to despair, death and inner suffering. Its relatively short running time prevents the slower arrangements from becoming excessively drawn out, though some sections could use greater variation in dynamics. “Visions In Death” is a measured return to epic doom, rooted in traditional songwriting and gothic fantasy, with strong guitar melodies and an atmosphere that occasionally comes at the expense of instrumental definition. The year has a few surprises in store for us, and here’s one of the best yet to come.
|9.0
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