When I checked AIWAZ’s “Darrkh… It is!” Bandcamp page, I was met with a rather interesting explanation of what the band sounded like, it read that AIWAZ is a top notch mix of QUEENSRYCHE, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, MARILLION, GHOST and MY DYING BRIDE! And that the music was more epic than epic, with a very strong production and simply beautiful. This must be one of the best write-ups of a sound ever on Bandcamp. AIWAZ is essentially a Gothic / Doom band from Dortmund, Germany with an absolutely beautiful Doom sound that lures you right into their sound. Soothing vocals carry through the music majestically which adequately turn into early Death Metal’s deep growls as the music slows down to provide the necessary width to the pain. The opener ‘Darrkh… It Is!’ is an epic, ten and a half minutes long and I never noticed how quickly time passed. The description of the band’s music on their Bandcamp page is so accurate! AIWAZ at their heart are a melodic band that dip into the heaviness of Doom whilst tiptoeing around melody to masterfully blend a shade of sorrow that everyone associates with. The clean vocals are reminiscent of GHOST and are so beautifully done that the listener is instantly transported into a realm that is hard to get out of. If you remotely like GHOST you absolutely have to check out AIWAZ just for the vocal juxtaposition with a rich gloomy atmosphere that envelopes you entirely. I’ve been listening to AGALLOCH’s “The Mantle” today and coming to AIWAZ right after it might also be the catalyst to elicit such a response from me. However, sonically, AIWAZ presents poetry in a tense yet seductive texture to which you can’t help but fall prey. The band is just two members, a vocalist and a musician juggling everything in the background. I’m often amazed when such limited personnel produce such a lasting effect. Of course, I say that completely conscious of GODFLESH, but that is a completely different beast in comparison. To sum up what we have here, absolutely stunning vocals mixed with heavy melodic music that hits the mark on every single song. This is the case of the sum being greater than the parts. Quite impressive and recommended! Fans of all forms of heavy music should check out AIWAZ and I’m confident everyone will find something for themselves. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/aiwazdoom or www.facebook.com/hammerheartrecords