Patriarchs In Black have never been a band to colour inside the lines, but with “Home,” they’ve thrown the map away entirely. Doom, blues, punk, prog, acoustic balladry, even rap—it’s all here, stitched together with enough groove and grit to make it unmistakably theirs.
On the press pack that came with “Home,” there’s a quote from Dan Lorenzo (guitarist with Patriarchs In Black, Hades, and more) that sets the tone perfectly:
“You ever see the movie Groundhog Day? Bill Murray is forced to live the same day over and over. How boring, right? I love pizza, but I don’t want to eat it every meal. With our new album, you will find our ‘usual’ doomy riffs, but we also took some chances. There’s acoustic guitars, violin, flute, and of course, lots of heavy riffs. Diversity – it keeps things interesting.”
It’s an apt warning: expect the unexpected. Yes, they’ve roped in the usual array of special guests, but this time, they’ve gone far beyond the usual sound.
“Hymns For The Heretic” grooves along, offering “mercy for your godforsaken soul,” with a touch of The Obsessed in its DNA—but Patriarchs In Black have more strings to their bow than pure doom worship. “The Call” (featuring Karl Agell) feels like three songs in one, dabbling in prog but never conforming.
“Burn Through Time” nods to the 70s, while “Frisson” brings in strings, making the crushing “Kaos” hit even harder. Kelly Abe’s vocals drip with menace, riding a groove-metal riff that stomps rather than shuffles.
Drummer Johnny Kelly (Type O Negative, Danzig) co-founded the band with Lorenzo, and his solid backbone is all over “Storm King,” a highlight that almost has you reaching for a Soundgarden record.
“Celestial Yard” strips things back to acoustic tones, and you can picture Candlemass covering it, as Mark Sunshine wraps it in darkness. Elsewhere, rapper DMC gives “Where You Think You’re Going” a gritty urban swagger, while “Beline” channels Sabbath’s darkest hours.
At 14 tracks, the quality here is remarkable. “Pointed Fire” is unsettling—like Jethro Tull after a nightmare—before Frankie Diaz delivers a gravel-throated blues masterclass on “Enough Of You.” Abe returns for “Ready To High,” a burst of hardcore punk energy, while “Shadows Grasp” proves they can still summon the monolithic doom you might have expected from the start. But by now, second-guessing PIB is pointless.
They close with “Sweet Blood,” the longest and most mysterious cut here—a fitting, shadowy finale.
Albums with this much variety can sometimes feel like compilations, but “Home” never does. That’s a testament to both the band’s songwriting and the way they hold the whole thing together.
“Home” isn’t sweet, but it’s utterly compelling.
Rating: 8/10
