The good people of Decibel Magazine have reviewed ‘From Gold to Ash’ in the latest issue.

Dooming while Rome burns

Isolation claims ample souls, but the trajectory of Apostle of Solitude through doom into a majestic outerness fairly levitates across a decade of full-lengths. Fourth scripture ‘From Gold to Ash’ broils purely Old Testament – unrelenting, unforgiving and easily the heaviest element in the Indianapolis quartet’s catalog – yet buoyantly so. Lift is their gift.

Debut LP ‘Sincerest Misery’ established three Apostles’ spiraling upward guit-harmonies. ‘Last Sunrise’ then perfected the Midwestern Valhalla vocals of bandleader Chuck Brown, drummer on Gates of Slumber’s first long-player. ‘Of Woe and Wounds’ in 2014 rused both by delivering the band’s ‘Blue Record’ (Baroness), two torpedoes straight into the hull of peak ability, a colossal sound carved from proggy formations and epic intonations outlined by moaning grunge.

‘From Gold to Ash’ maintains that summit at an inexorable pace. Past the ‘Leviathan’ rush of instro intro “Overlord,” this is the slowest roll in their boneyard (see album title), and another juicy welt on Brown & Co.

The following “Ruination Be They Name” maps doom from Birmingham to Seattle lit by a Slash-ing solo, while the folk interlude segueing into its first-side twin pillar, “Keeping the Lighthouse,” tolls spooky solidarity with the delicate beginning to B-side opener “My Heart is Leaving Here.” Those moments of solo guitars frame the group’s fraternal chorus and mondo sound in a prism of 1970s glory metal.

Side two never quite closes the circle – 10-minute “Monochrome (Discontent)” – but there’s no mistaking its completeness either. And ‘Ash’ would benefit from another vein of ‘Gold’ – a ruby red burner or two – but Apostle of Solitude proselytizes successfully at every turn.

– Raoul Hernandez