It used to be that a band's first recording was more than likely terrible, even if the band ended up becoming great in the long run. You record an awful demo, shop it to labels, get signed, and then you're afforded the luxuries of a budget and a producer. But that process is no longer required in order for an independent artist to do it right. For example, take Hafgúa, an Icelandic atmospheric doom metal band that has decided to come out of the gate strong with their debut EP, Out of the Depths of Sheol.

"Tidal" opens with a slow build, with the sound of waves crashing on a shore and mysterious guitar notes, before a narrator sets the tone for the EP. As she finishes telling the listener about an ancient beast ruling the ocean, the song picks up with crunchy guitar riffs and deep, guttural vocals growling, "Oh Leviathan, guardian of the blue / king of creatures, master of the proud / once I put a cord through your nose / but you tied it around my neck." This theme of Leviathan and the ocean continues through all four tracks. Interestingly, "Tidal" also seems to have a great connection to the closing track, "Drifting Further." The beast of the sea returns, but instead of Leviathan from the Old Testament, it's the beast of the book of Revelation, and instead of being enslaved to it, it's a celebration of God's complete and total victory over it ("I saw as it were a sea of glass and fire / and they who had that the victory over the beast out of the sea / over his image, over his mark, and over the number of his name / standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God / and they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb / great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty / just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints).

The EP is not only thematically-consistent, but stylistically-consistent, as well. On Hafgúa's Bandcamp and social media, they classify themselves as atmospheric doom metal, and it's apparent when you dive into the lengthy, occasionally droning songs. The band is less worried about giving the listener a quick track to throw on a playlist and more focused on building that atmosphere and telling a story with not only its lyrics, but also the mood of the song. "Never Drowning" is my personal favorite of these four songs, and it also may be the best representation of who the band is. The song keeps a steady, slower tempo throughout its seven-minute runtime, with guitar tones that almost signal some sort of impending doom, accompanied by those same deep, almost death metal-like vocals growling about our need for repentance in order to be saved from an ocean of sin and despair. Again, it's likely not going to be just a casual listen, but if you take the time to pay attention and soak it in, it's rather rewarding.

I'm a bit old school, so I occasionally listen to a debut with some hesitancy, not knowing if it's going to be a rough experience or not. Thankfully, Hafgúa's debut was a delightful surprise for me. It has some mild production issues, particularly with some of the guitars, but those issues are few and far between (and it's doom metal, so frankly, it's allowed to not be super polished). Out of the Depths of Sheol is a bit long for a four-song EP, at just under 30 minutes. But if you've got the ears for something a little heavier than the norm, it's worth the time.

- Review date: 1/3/24, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: None
Album length: 4 tracks: 26 minutes, 42 seconds
Street Date: December 15, 2023
Buy It: Amazon Music
Buy It: Bandcamp

1. Tidal (6:48)
2. Never drowning (7:06)
3. Undertow (5:38)
4. Drifting further (5:35)