Doom, as a genre, is more obscure and vast than most people, including its fans, can imagine. For instance, I fancy myself somewhat of an aficionado on the subject of doom metal, but almost daily I will come across a band that has been around for some time which I know absolutely nothing about. This is frequently made even more frustrating for me when said band is really good. Such is the case with Eyes of Ligeia. Since inception, the band consisted solely of founder and songwriter Dante. With A Fever Which Would Cling to Thee Forever, the band’s fourth full length, Dante, guitarist/vocalist/keyboardist, has added three members to handle bass, drums, and share in the vocal load.

The band’s name, album title, and to a certain degree, their lyrics, pay homage to the great Edgar Allen Poe. The name of the band is due to Poe’s poem, “Ligeia”, and the album title is referenced in another of his works, “Spirits of the Dead”. As you might imagine, this influence makes for a dark and evil atmosphere, not to mention one that is both creative and unique for this genre. Eyes of Ligeia have managed to intertwine two very different styles, black metal and doom, and they’ve done it very well in my opinion. The vocals are the under-produced, claustrophobic shrieks akin to black metal, yet the guitar and rhythm section is unmistakably doom with it’s sluggish pace and chunky sound. However, even this aspect of the band gets some black metal sound, as the guitars are at times drenched in distortion to give them a buzz saw effect.

After an ominous intro somewhat resembling Deathspell Omega, the last thing my senses expected was the mammoth descending riff of The Shadow Out of Time. I found myself even more intrigued by the accompanying vocals in the form of distant, tortured screams that lend the polished production of the guitars a decidedly more raw feel than they should have. The tempo is mid paced and generally steady, giving the drummer, Amon, ample opportunities to become a focal point, where he might have trouble in a funeral doom approach. The riffs are almost exclusively amazing, and the production really makes them pop. Despite the overlying themes of Eyes of Ligeia, these riffs are the one aspect that does not always ascribe to an evil ambience. In fact, some would fit right in with a stoner or traditional doom song. The sound begins to take on an air of familiarity before A Strange and Fitful Presence turns to a clean interlude to keep things interesting. This has the added effect of making the following riff and vocal crash that much more devastating. A similar tactic is used in What the Moon Brings, Part II. The similarities end there, however, as the riffing in the latter is more furious and black metal-esque than either of the songs preceding it. Watcher in the Water should be mentioned for its use of guitar harmonies which, surprisingly, don’t sound out of place amidst the madness of the rest of this album.

Though I commend the band, or more specifically Dante, the songwriter, on the addition of all these nuances, there are still moments when the album suffers from repetition overkill. Perhaps it’s the vocals, which can’t really help but sound the same due to their indiscernible and distant style. Whatever the reason, A Fever Which Would Cling to Thee Forever is still an interesting and worthwhile listen. In the future, I may only listen to it a song or two at a time to avoid the small issues I had with it. If they are set apart from the whole, many of these songs are outstanding. The epic title track, for example, contains some fantastic riffing and stylistic changes throughout its near 9-minute running time. Eyes of Ligeia deserve notice and credit for putting a new spin on the familiar sounds of doom. If nothing else, this album could be the perfect introduction to doom for a black metal fan, and vice versa.