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The mixing of the black and doom metal genres has historically been a one-sided affair. There are the artists who call themselves "black/doom metal" who only play a slightly slower version of black metal, just as there is the confusing "blackened doom" tag, which for some odd reason is just sludge riffs with high pitched harsh vocals. Generally speaking, it doesn't make much sense, especially to someone with such strict ideas about structure and genre. That being said, fusion is hard -- can people really expect making something new out of two established genres to really be that simple?

Faustcoven is a rarity, elevated above those who have failed. In the sea of those misusing the "black/doom" tag, this Norwegian duo's gripping, horror music takes these two styles and throws caution to the wind, making their own unique sound. Listen to an exclusive stream of In the Shadow of Doom below.

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Upon first listen, Faustcoven's unique identity is immediate, but it's simpler than that. As a true (true) black/doom metal band, their music is a pure half and half reduction, blended together with a masterful hand.

Placing their concentration more on the doom metal half this time around (head over to Rising From Below The Earth for a more even distribution of style), In the Shadow of Doom is a much heavier manifestation of Faustcoven's meditations on style, but their blackened edge still shines through. There is a deliberation here -- one which dates back to a small Finnish scene at the birth of the 1990s -- with a nightmarish focal point and atmospheric gait.

Even with a larger amount of wait given to one half of their approach, make no mistake: Faustcoven still succeeds. Avoiding the panoplies of the usual black and doom metal misnomers, there is no question of this duo's execution. This is the truest manifestation of black/doom metal.

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In the Shadow of Doom is out Friday, August 3rd on Nuclear War Now! Productions.

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