Released separately on the same day by Pittsburgh’s Shadow Kingdom Records, Revelation’s …Yet So Far and For the Sake of No One provide a look at one of Maryland doom’s longest running legacies as it was 14 years ago and as it is today. Respectively. Hellhound had the original release of …Yet So Far back in 1995, while For the Sake of No One is the brand new follow-up to last year’s Release and finds the band at perhaps their most mournful yet.

And I do mean mournful. For the Sake of No One — which maintains the Revelation lineup of Steve Branagan (drums), John Brenner (guitar/vocals) and Bert Hall (bass) — starts off with the woeful one-two punch of “A Matter of Days” and “Offset,” both of which creep at a true doom slow pace that just makes you want to hang your head. “Canyons,” the longest song at 9:11, hits hard in both musical weight and emotional content. The groove is solid, and there’s an under-produced feeling that pervades (Brenner handled recording and mixing, as with Release) that only winds up adding to the cult vibe throughout. This is doom for doomers, folks. Novices or anyone craving timing changes or math-metal parts needs to find themselves another boat.

Things do pick up somewhat with the shorter “On a Promotory” in the middle of the album, and there are some surprises hidden on Side B that contrast the straightforward dirge of For the Sake of No One’s forward face. “The Whisper Stream” boasts the record’s best (and maybe most extended) solo from Brenner, a moment of upbeat classic rock in a swirling sea of doom. The last few minutes of the extended “Vigil” have a bumping bass line from Hall and a lead line that speaks to ‘80s style of rock, and the closing title track starts off eerily quiet, only to blindside with yet another cut of the massive doom that typified the album’s first half.

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The remarkably prolific alter ego of traditional doomers Revelation, Baltimore trio Against Nature take a much different approach, pulling together elements of classic, unpretentious prog, ambient rock, psychedelia and mellow riffers to create a style both unique and amorphous. On their two records from 2008 — note that to date they have a full-length and an EP out in 2009 as well — Natural Blue and Accumulus, both self-released through the band’s own Bland Hand Records, Against Nature journey through a varied landscape of considered rock and roll, at times offering a Brant Bjork-style smoothness (as on Natural Blue opener “Sonic Tonic”) and at times tripping their way into a great mostly-instrumental beyond (as on Accumulus‘ “All in Motion”). Whatever sound they’re adopting, though, a consistency in tone and production ties each of the records to themselves and each other. There is a definite Against Nature sound, and it’s complex.

Both of the albums, as well as the 12 other releases the band has issued since 2005, are available for free download on the Against Nature website, and physical pressings of each are limited to 90 copies that come with hand-made covers signed by guitarist/vocalist John Brenner in gorgeous designs that jpegs fail to do justice. Obviously this is not a band with high commercial aspirations. Rather, what shines through on Accumulus and Natural Blue is a genuine love for the creative process. Memorable riffs pervade cuts like “NOS” and “Normal Nihilists,” linking the two albums together, but Accumulus has a more progressive feel than its predecessor, which is emblematic of the drive and willingness to experiment fueling the band on in place of mainstream notoriety, fame or a large cash flow. They do it to do it. If they didn’t enjoy it, there would be no reason to continue.

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Tilled from the most fertile soil in the US for growing traditional doom — namely the Maryland/D.C. scene that birthed Pentagram, Wretched, The Obsessed, Iron Man, Unorthodox, Wino‘s bands, Earthride and countless others — Baltimore‘s Revelation began issuing demos in 1987 and put out three full-lengths before disbanding following …Yet So Far in 1995. A 2003 reissue of 1996’s Frozen Masque demo showed there was still interest and 2007’s Paleontology collection of early works provided a tape-hissy bugle announcing Revelation‘s return to active status.

After having the shovel strength to unearth Stone Garden and put out Pale Divine‘s much-storied first release, Crimson Tears, the up and coming Shadow Kingdom Records digs its heels into the underground to license Release, Revelation‘s first new full-length in 14 years.

And they came up with a meisterwerk of true American doom.

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