LP Review: "Yeth Hound" by Tyfon's Doom

Yeth Hound

In 1977 Ace Frehley and Peter Criss told Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley that they felt musically confined in Kiss and were going to quit the band and release solo albums.

How many times in the course of musical history has someone in a band gone solo thinking they could do it all themselves only to fall flat on their face?

For every one Ozzy Osbourne there are about 200 Ace Frehleys, and this coming from a huge Kiss/Ace Frehley fan.

What irks the most about solo records is that most of the time, they are not solo albums, but bands being named after the singer. Ozzy Osbourne's original "solo" band was the work of four people, but that's not what it ended up being.

Another solo success story would be King Diamond, successful in that he at least kept up the same levels of popularity outside of Mercyful Fate as he did inside of it.

Tommy Varsala aka Tyfon's Doom

Speaking of King Diamond, it would be easy to believe that Tommy Varsala is a fan of the King and his work in Mercyful Fate.

Let's be crystal, sparkling, clear.

Yeth Hound does not sound like Melissa or Don't Break The Oath.

But there is a strong resemblance to Return of the Vampire.

There are no banshee screams to begin with, but muffle sounds of vocal strains. They hint at the full out onslaught, but  never deliver.

Kind of like Manilla Road.

Like our friends from Topeka, Tyfon's Doom is as polished as a lump of coal, but only in the production. The guitar work is otherworldly and unrelenting.

Do not expect any Shermann/Denner style explosions, but carefully crafted melodic shredding. Not only are they amazing, but there's plenty to go around and enjoy.

Fans of the early days of occult metal will find a lot to like with Yeth Hound. Fans of the Fate, Manilla Road, and countless other bands will find a familiar face on a new body.

Release: 7/8/16
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: Gates of Hell Records
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