Tuesday 25 February 2020

ALBUM REVIEW: Angellore, “Rien Ne Devait Mourir”

By: Thomas Gonzales

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 14/02/2020
Label: Finisterian Dead End



“Rien Ne Devait Mourir” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. A Romance Of Thorns
2. Dreams (Along The Trail)
3. Drowned Divine
4. Blood For Lavinia
5. Sur Les Sentiers De Lune
6. Que Les Lueurs Se Dispersent

The Review:

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, then with a crushing, moody, and atmospheric new metal album? Thanks to Angellore and their most recent release “Rien Ne Devait Mourir”, themes of sorrow, death, love, loss, and the beauty of nature are poignantly showcased in a crushing wave of Death Doom.

Formed in 2007, Angellore have carved out a place amongst doom fans the world over like a stone angel at the gates of a mausoleum. Hauntingly beautiful, but not at the expense of heaviness, Angellore are able to slide along the spectrum of Doom Metal, ranging from Funeral to Death Doom, then back again. It is as much an emotional journey as it is a sonic one, and at no point do they allow the atmosphere to lose gravity.

Vocalist Lucia returns to once again lend classical cleans to an already diverse mix, bringing brilliant melodic sensibilities to sweep across the heavier segments of each track. When paired with the acoustic guitar breaks, they waltz back and forth in a macabre dance, lending a refreshing Gothic nature to their already sorrowful sound. If you haven’t caught on yet, the tone of the album is dark and broody, and can be appreciated in those quiet hours of contemplation, without feeling forced or edgy.

That’s not to say the album isn’t also a banger, it’s just more about the musical experience than creating catchy riffs, and anthems. Opening track “A Romance of Thorns” is a crushing twenty-minute juggernaut of a song, showcasing a little of every technique the band has become known for. Lucia starts things off in a somber operatic fashion, before passing the flame to vocalist and founder Walran, who provides some of the crunchiest growls of the year (so far). Walran’s harsh segments are rough, and rumbling, and add a weightiness that drags the whole track down into a crashing blast of Death/Doom, before giving way to a soothing classical guitar segment. This ebb and flow is part of what makes this album so enjoyable as a continuous piece; each song is so dynamic, that it’s hard to lose interest before the cadence changes once again.

Every bit as pummeling as it is graceful, “Rien Ne Devait Mourir” is a composition deserving of a start to finish listen. While several of the tracks could be enjoyed as singles, it is a disservice to the artist (and yourself) not to experience the complete vision. Skipping around changes the pacing set out by the creators, and would cause the listener to deny themselves some of the finer aspects of the recording. Pick up “Rien Ne Devait Mourir” today on Finisterian Dead End Records.


“Rien Ne Devait Mourir” is available HERE




Band info: bandcamp || facebook