Album Review: Journey Through the Dying Lands by Bog Wizard (Reviewed by Tommy B. Smith)

Michigan stoner/doom metal outfit Bog Wizard describes their sound as “nerd doom,” being inspired by fantasy, Dungeons & Dragons, and the satanic panic, among other influences.

Their latest release, Journey Through the Dying Lands, opens with the chirping of birds and a lone, roaming bass line which leads to the first of numerous slow-crunching riffs. This first track, “I, Mycelium,” heralds doomy territory reminiscent of a trek through a deep swamp. Harsh vocals accompany the chugging rhythm which breaks to distorted tones and a smattering of melodic vocals between. Along the track’s lengthy course of almost twenty minutes, I’m reminded of stoner-doom epics such as Sleep’s Dopesmoker that offer a trudging musical journey to the patient listener.

The next song, “Dodz Bringare,” is lyrically derived from the dark fantasy novella Whispers of the Dead Saint by John Baltisberger. It’s the album’s most prominent single in regard to airplay and downloads, with the sort of eerie riffs that recall classic doom influence while remaining fresh, and these are bolstered by galloping drums. Near the middle of the song, the action slows and oozes into a spoken word outro passage.

Then comes “Hagfish Dinner,” an acoustical segment with chanting vocals, followed by the shortest track, “Stuck in the Muck,” a quick dose of heavier fare, though not a stand-out track.

With its sludgy heaviness and tone, however, “Barbaria” brings to mind some of the early death-doom metal of the 1990s, possibly at home somewhere along the lines of Anathema’s Serenades. An enjoyable track, and for fans of this musical style, no doubt one of the highlights here.

It should be noted that the last two tracks are live versions of songs which appeared on Bog Wizard’s 2021 album, Miasmic Purple Smoke.

Journey Through the Dying Lands released on October 25 from Madness Heart Games, and is available at iTunes, Bandcamp, and other streaming services, and also as a limited edition vinyl and CD.

You can subscribe to Bog Wizard on YT here: https://www.youtube.com/@BogWizard

Follow on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/bogwizardband

And also on the book of faces here: https://www.facebook.com/BogWizardBand

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tommy B. Smith is a writer of horror and dark fiction whose works meander through the darker spaces of the psychological and the cosmic. A two-time Imadjinn Award-winning author and 2023 nominee for the Michael Knost Wings Award, he has been featured in numerous publications to span the years, and is the author of the Black Carmenia series. His presence currently infests the west Arkansas River Valley, where he resides with his wife and six cats.