Troll made a splash a few years ago with a self-released debut album that’s equal parts sludgy and catchy. That’s largely thanks to the Portland doom band’s expressive singer, known only as Rainbo, whose vocal hooks push their way out from beneath Troll’s mountain of fuzz. Rainbo also deserves credit for toning down his Ozzy tribute just enough to complement his band rather than distract from it.
On their new album, Legend Master, Troll lurches forward from sludge-style doom to a more classic take on the genre, while at the same time pushing Rainbo’s vocals further out in front of the mix. The result is a sound that’s cleaner, with song arrangements that boast the ambition of prog-rock and performances that echo the bravado of traditional heavy metal.