DIVINE EVE – Vengeful and Obstinate

By Brian Krasman

“Your time has come.” Those words gurgle from the opening cut of DIVINE EVE’s amazingly long-awaited new EP “Vengeful and Obstinate,” and while it sounds menacing and summoning, it could not be more fitting.

See, while DIVINE EVE originally took shape nearly two decades ago, there’s little tangible evidence this group ever existed other than a couple of EPs, memories from shows in the mid-’90s and word of mouth. Yet, following a 2007 anthology release via Tarot Productions of this doom-and-death-crusted band’s early material, a reunion followed in 2008 with guitarists/vocalists Michael Sleavin (INFERNAL OAK) and Xan Hammack (CRIMSON RELIC) and drummer Matt Killen (INFERNAL OAK) — but minus bassist Tyson Leuck — which resulted in the first new DIVINE EVE music in a decade and a half. Hey, better late than not at all.

The four songs on “Vengeful and Obstinate” (out now on Ibex Moon) are mere morsels of what’s hopefully to come, that being a far-too-long-in-the-making full-length. These 17 minutes of slow-pounding death, and Sabbath-meets-Celtic Frost doom are just hulking and sinister enough to be satisfied for now, be it the glacially paced “Grievous Ascendance,” the fiery and thrashy “Whispers of Fire” or even the Armageddon-comes-to-your-town trumpeting of “The Ravages of Heathen Men,” which hangs over like final judgment itself, especially with Sleavin and Hammack doing their finest Tony Iommi worship.

Much like the band’s early existence, “Vengeful and Obstinate” is over before you know it. But this time there’s a future, one that should result in DIVINE EVE claiming their rightful spot in metal lore. Whether they follow up with a proper and crushing full-length remains a mystery, but here’s betting they won’t let this opportunity pass.