Eibon was also the name of Phil Anselmo's moonlighting-in-Norway project which got everyone salivating over its line-up some eleven years ago or so, but since in that time they have produced a grand total of ONE song, without any real perspective of following it up in any way, let us turn our attention to a real band called Eibon.

Not that these Frenchies do things in a hurry, either, like all good doomsters. Previous to the recently released full length 'Entering Darkness', four years of existence had resulted in four songs, a cute song-a-year average, divided over a 2007 split with stoners Hangman's Chair and a 2008 self-titled EP. It's a testament to the quality of those songs, though, that everyone I know who was familiar with them awaited the debut album with excited impatience, a wait which has been well worth the final reward.

You see, some bands just have a darkness about their music. It's not something you can specifically go for ("could you just add some darkness to that verse, Jim?") and it's not by singing about putrefied entrails  or advising Jesus to indulge in creative self-mutilating activities that you automatically get it, but when it's there, it's there. The ominous riff that follows the title track's opening sample ("save your prayers, God is not here with us now. There is only the darkness here. And your death.") carries such a sinister, chilly vibe that you'll actually check if you left a window open every time you hear it. It's full of moments like that, and it's what turns it into something special. If you just look coldly at the various parts of Eibon's music, it doesn't seem like it's such a big deal. Plodding doom, dirty enough to earn the sadly ubiquitous sludge tag, vocals raspy enough to fit the black metal category now and then, even a few softer sections that add a meanderingly psychedelic feel to the whole thing, but nothing spectacularly revolutionary. It's the mood that does it. I managed to pinpoint the title track just because it has that eerie sample at the beginning, otherwise I have no idea which of the six songs (all well over seven minutes long) are which. 'Entering Dakness' is the sort of record that just flows along, draws you in, keeps you in its darkened belly while it heaves and seethes for the duration and just coughs you out when it's done, all covered in yucky black goo.

If Anselmo, Killjoy, Fenriz and Satyr ever manage to write another song, I'd advise them to change their name. This Eibon's brand of darkness seems like it's here to stay.

Eibon website

Eibon MySpace

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José's Band of the Week is up on Wednesdays and you can offer suggestions at jose.bandoftheweek@gmail.com.