REVIEW: PROCESSION - The Cult of Disease

 

PROCESSION - The Cult of Disease (2011)

High Roller Records

A disease worth catching

I think PROCESSION from Chile are one of the most distinctive and promising names to emerge from the modern Doom Metal scene. Less than a year ago, I reviewed their debut full-length, Destroyers of the Faith, and the impression that album left was strong enough to make me return to the band's earlier material. This time, however, we are going back to the beginning.

The Cult of Disease is PROCESSION's debut EP, originally released in 2009 after the band had already attracted attention with their 2008 Burn demo. The story behind the release is interesting in itself: formed in Valparaíso in 2006 by guitarist/vocalist Felipe Plaza and bassist Daniel Pérez, PROCESSION initially recorded the three songs that became Burn in a very DIY fashion. The demo's limited circulation eventually brought the band to the attention of German label Iron Kodex, which offered them the opportunity to record and release The Cult of Disease on vinyl.

That early history is important because The Cult of Disease already reveals many of the qualities that would later characterize PROCESSION. The EP is deeply rooted in traditional and epic Doom Metal, drawing unmistakably from the genre's greats without simply reproducing their formulas. CANDLEMASS and SOLITUDE AETURNUS are obvious reference points, particularly in the weight of the riffs, the dramatic sense of melody and the epic atmosphere. There is also something of DOOMSWORD in the overall approach, especially in the way Felipe Plaza delivers his clean, passionate vocals.

And this is perhaps one of PROCESSION's greatest strengths. Their music may clearly belong to a tradition, but it never feels like a sterile exercise in nostalgia. The riffs have substance, the songs are built around memorable melodic ideas, and the performances retain a certain rawness that gives the material character. The production is less massive than on Destroyers of the Faith, but that actually works in the EP's favor, allowing the compositions themselves to remain at the center of attention. Contemporary reviews likewise noted the band's combination of crushing Doom riffs, melody and Plaza's distinctive clean vocal delivery.

Interestingly, The Cult of Disease is hardly a conventional EP in terms of length. The material eventually runs for well over half an hour, while the later CD edition contains approximately 37 minutes of music. The original vinyl edition also became an important early document of the band, while subsequent editions helped make the release more accessible to listeners who had missed its initial appearance. High Roller Records' later reissue added the Burn demo as a bonus, making it an even more useful snapshot of PROCESSION's formative period.

The songs themselves demonstrate why the band attracted attention so quickly. Raven of Disease, Like a Plague upon the Earth and the epic The Funeral of an Age show a group already comfortable with long-form Doom compositions, combining slow, crushing passages with moments of increased movement rather than allowing the music to become monotonous. The latter, in particular, points toward the more ambitious songwriting PROCESSION would develop on Destroyers of the Faith.

There is also an interesting chapter in the band's early career that followed this release. The positive response to The Cult of Disease helped PROCESSION move beyond Chile, leading to their first European appearances and performances at events including Doom Shall Rise and Keep It True. In other words, this was not merely an underground debut that disappeared into obscurity; it was the release that helped introduce PROCESSION to a much wider Doom and traditional Heavy Metal audience.

If Destroyers of the Faith showed what PROCESSION could accomplish on a full-length scale, The Cult of Disease demonstrates where that identity came from. The foundations were already there: the epic Doom atmosphere, the powerful guitar work, the passionate vocals and, most importantly, an obvious understanding of what makes traditional Doom Metal so compelling.

If you are looking for Doom Metal that remains loyal to the genre's roots while possessing its own personality, PROCESSION are a name that deserves attention. The Cult of Disease may belong to the band's early history, but it has lost none of its relevance. For anyone who appreciates CANDLEMASS, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, DOOMSWORD and the heavier side of traditional Heavy Metal, this is a particularly worthwhile piece of the PROCESSION story—and a reminder that sometimes going back to the beginning is the best way to understand how a great band found its voice.

Christine  Parastatidou