It was a sad day for doom metal when YOB broke up in 2005. But thankfully, that was the not the end of YOB leader Mike Scheidt's involvement with doom metal. The guitarist/singer wasted no time assembling a new band: Middian, whose debut album, Age Eternal, isn't a big departure from YOB's work. Like YOB, this trio (which also includes bassist/singer Will Lindsay and drummer Scott Headrick) operates on the sludgy, Black Sabbath-influenced side of metal (as opposed to the more gothic side of doom epitomized by Paradise Lost and Anathema), and Middian is also a band that loves to stretch out. Age Eternal only has five tracks, which may lead some to assume that it is an EP. But this 57-minute CD is no EP; some of those five tracks last 11, 14 or 15 minutes -- and that penchant for extended numbers is certainly very YOB-ish. Despite being similar to YOB, Middian is not a carbon copy of Scheidt's former band; Middian offer more fast tempos, and their performances are somewhat heavier and have more of a psychedelic edge. Nonetheless, Age Eternal will not come as a major shock to those who are familiar with Scheidt's YOB days. Like YOB's albums, this 2006 recording is not for those with short attention spans; this is complex doom that has a lot of interesting twists and turns and never adheres to a standard verse/chorus/verse/chorus format. But those who were YOB admirers will be happy to know that Scheidt is still providing quality doom metal. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi

1		Dreamless Eye
2		The Blood of Icons
3		Age Eternal
4		The Celebrant
5		Sink to the Center

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