WITCHFINDER GENERAL - Friends Of Hell LP (Black Vinyl)

Matter of fact, Friends of Hell is an extremely fun doom classic by all accounts, and although Death Penalty is still the defining Witchfinder General record to me, one could easily turn in favor of the arguably smoother songwriting to be found here. I honestly don't remember the reason they broke up in 1984, but in having heard their two 80's full-lengths so many times, I can say that a third album from the same era would very likely have been plentiful in great ideas, and perhaps would have elevated Phil Cope to a more esteemed status in the realm of classic metal guitarists. I wonder, with the Black Sabbath training wheels starting to come off, would their doominess have waned going forward? Or perhaps it would have further increased, considering it was integral to their development anyhow? All this before they'd even been rediscovered and vindicated as early doom metal pioneers in the online era as well, mind you. As it stands, however, the General's sophomore album is a worthy companion to its lauded older brother, still continuing in a similar enough vein to make for one of doom's finest album duos.