FOG - "JEZABEL'S DREAM" (INDEPENDENT)

 

FOG...never heard of them...until you realise that in fact they are the reincarnation of Fear of God. As you may or may not know (check out the 'artist of the moment' section if you don't), Fear of God vocalist Dawn Crosby died in December 1996 but the band decided to continue. In fact, the only band member remaining from the times of "Toxic Voodoo" is drummer John Gerden. Instead of opting for a female replacement at the vocal helm, they were joined in 1997 by John Childs.

"Jezabel's Dream" is quite unlike "Toxic Voodoo" and "Within the Veil", of course. Dawn's legacy lives on in a few riffs that could be classified as having a certain "Toxic Voodoo" quality about them, but that's where similarities stop. I feel it would be best to just see this band as a completely new one.

So let's start again.

FOG's full-length debut offers almost an hour of good, doomy-speed music with a bit of goth thrown and John Childs at times chanting barely on key, then grunting his arse off. John Gerden's drumming is in a gear much higher than I know of him, and the guitar solos are frantic if a tad unfocused. The album has highs and lows. Low is that, well, I can't help it but I miss Dawn on vocals [sob!]. There are several highs, most notably the title track, "Metapholic Vortex", "Entrantment" and "Prisoners of the Flesh". I find myself, however, liking especially the parts where John chants sparingly. The first one, "Three Nights of Darkness", is not representative of the album as a whole so if you find the album anywhere do yourself a favour and start with track 2 (having said that, the release date isn't until May 1st...).

JdB

 

Written February 1999

 

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