' first album, , arrived at a time -- 1991 -- when American doom metal was finally earning some measure of recognition, thanks to the previously underappreciated work of homegrown champions like , , and -- but, ironically, the Texas band's primary influence actually hailed from Sweden! Indeed, had originally been named simply " " by founding guitarist , based on the popular track from ' classic 1986 debut, , and so sonic similarities included the operatic vocals of and the way epic-sized songs like and alternated typically ponderous doom passages with galloping tempos and even speedy thrash metal bursts. Nevertheless, ' own songwriting acumen within these parameters quickly proved the old dictum that too much of a good thing is rarely a bad thing, thanks to additional creative high watermarks such as the evocative and the sublimely somber Some listeners may have felt that these songs dragged on for little longer than necessary at times, but not those who took note of the consistently stellar guitar solos traded between and fellow six-stringer . And even though the "American " tag would ultimately haunt throughout their career, received enthusiastic blessings from the bulk of doom enthusiasts for the many worthy qualities of its own. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia