ALBUM REVIEW: Beneath Oblivion, "The Wayward and the Lost"

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 27/03/2018

Label: Weird Truth Productions

“The Wayward and the Lost” may be the first album to induce lethal sepsis, especially for those unprepared for the sheer annihilating depths of the quartet’s funereal, occasionally sublime, brand of sludgy doom.  For those who revel in plumbing the nightmarish depths, this nihilistic plunge is just the trip you need.

“The Wayward and the Lost” CD//DD track listing

1. The City, A Mausoleum (My Tomb)

2. Liar’s Cross

3. The Wayward and the Lost

4. Savior-Nemesis-Redeemer

5. Satyr

The Review:

               

There was a period in my late teens where I’d throw in my DVD of “Requiem for a Dream” every week.  Already cripplingly depressed, there was something cathartic to what, until that point, was maybe the most soul-crushing movie I could find (I hadn’t yet discovered Michael Haneke, Lars Von Trier, or any other miserable Euro-directors).  While I wish I was cool enough to have been spinning truly nihilistic funeral doom, sludge, and black metal, I was probably listening to early naughts emo or Nine Inch Nails or, if I was feeling political, some CRASS.  But maybe it’s for the best I didn’t have a band like Beneath Oblivion to pull up after a late night viewing of Jared Leto’s necrotic arm amputation – my vital organs may have shut down out of sheer despair.  Through a blend of post-rock cinematic composition and death doom tone, Beneath Oblivion’s “The Wayward and the Lost” is a painfully addictive listen for anyone craving a nihilistic trudge through societal misery.

               

From the outset, Beneath Oblivion wears their Godspeed You! Black Emperor inspiration on their sleeves.  The opening samples, haunting evocations of modern industrial alienation, nearly overwhelm the clean, twangy guitar chords and sparse percussion.  But when the distorted assault kicks in, beauty is quickly annihilated – lead vocalist Simpson’s wailing, spectral vocals.  While the sound may be post-apocalyptic, the lyrical content is all too painfully situated in the present crises of civilization: “I never believed, / In man or saviors. / This world in decline, / The needle, the wasted.”  Throughout the vacillations between reverb-laden clean guitar breaks and fuzzy, gut churning chords, the throbbing hum of Keith Messerle’s bass lines and trudging smash of Nate Bidwell’s drumwork sound like the spastic heartbeat of a dying leviathan.

               

Occasionally, I wish I could get a little more clarity when hearing the sinister, crackling sample work Allen Scott weaves through “The Wayward and the Lost”.  The inflections sound just right, but I’m wondering if I’m missing out on some of the more interesting spots in “Liar’s Cross” or the monologue at the heart of the death doom title track.  Which isn’t to say Beneath Oblivion buries everything in distortion.  The folky guitar tones, subtle organ lines, and hypnotic background vocals of “Liar’s Cross” are all brilliant counterpoints to the crackling malevolence at the heart of the song.

               

The closing track, “Satyr”, is a propulsive, cinematic opus on a record stacked with epic, expansive compositions.  Layered with samples, countered guitar and bass harmonies, crackling static, and the typically massive drum tone, the cumulative effect is nearly orchestral.  But this isn’t some triumphant lift out of darkness.  Simpson instead spits out a hate-filled eulogy for a damned race: our own.  “We, the futile, / Hand of man's failures, / We, the worthless / Forgotten, the void / Of light, Of suffering.”  These are lacerating condemnations that could give you tetanus.  As a final kiss-off, he advises “Hold on- To your guns / To your drugs / The end is near.”  With a final, painful sample of chugging exhaust and ambient industrial noise, there’s little doubt that Beneath Oblivion’s prophecy feels all but carved in stone.  “The Wayward and the Lost” may be the first album to induce lethal sepsis, especially for those unprepared for the sheer annihilating depths of the quartet’s funereal, occasionally sublime, brand of sludgy doom.  For those who revel in plumbing the nightmarish depths, this nihilistic plunge is just the trip you need.

“The Wayward and the Lost” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Mournful Congregation,‘The Incubus Of Karma’

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/03/2018

Label: Osmose Productions (EU) |

20 Buck Spin (US)

This band has always been the gold standard when it comes to dense, emotive funeral doom, but this latest hallmark in their discography takes that heart-shredding melancholy to its furthest extreme yet.  This is Mournful Congregation’s crowning achievement. ‘The Incubus Of Karma’ is a fucking masterpiece.

‘The Incubus Of Karma’ CD/LP/CS/DD track listing:

1. The Indwelling Ascent

2. Whispering Spiritscapes

3. The Rubaiyat

4. The Incubus of Karma

5. Scripture of Exaltation and Punishment

6. A Picture of the Devouring Gloom Devouring the Spheres of Being

The Review:

I sit here struggling to find the right words, or really any words at all, to convey the weight and impact of ‘The Incubus Of Karma’, Mournful Congregation’s first new album in over six years. I’ll do my best, anyway. This band has always been the gold standard when it comes to dense, emotive funeral doom, but this latest hallmark in their discography takes that heart-shredding melancholy to its furthest extreme yet.

To get this out of the way immediately; the lead guitar work throughout ‘The Incubus Of Karma’ is absolutely incredible. I’m not just talking about their trademark thick, layered guitar harmonies. I’m talking about those ascendant high-fret leads that sail and glide above them. Each and every one of them is immaculately composed and performed in a manner meant to cut even the most callous facades to the quick. Whether it’s during a devastating funeral crawl or a plaintive low-dynamic interlude, the sorrow just doesn’t let up. It’s mercilessly sad.

The crux of this entire album is the band largely deciding to stay out of the way of the guitars. Drums, vocals, bass, and keyboards: they’re all in almost exclusively supporting roles. Drummer Tim Call is also known also for his work in bands like Aldebaran, Nightfell, and Weregoat, and in each of those bands, his drumming is considerably more active than his performance here. I’d be shocked if he averaged more than one actual drum fill every 2-3 minutes in total.

This isn’t a criticism, by the way. It may be a uniquely bare bones performance, but it’s exactly what the music calls for. Even his drum sound is subdued, with a snare sound that recalls that of the first Danzig album, drenched in reverb, and the cymbals mixed even quieter than normal for a Mournful Congregation album.

Again, the guitars are the axis on which ‘The Incubus Of Karma’ spins. If you’re looking for a specific example, look no further than the album’s instrumental title track. The song is an absolute testament to the astonishing emotion that lead guitar can conjure, as these ultra expressive solos cascade over gentle acoustic guitar. And there’s equally brilliant leads all over the album. These aren’t note-spamming, “virtuosity for its own sake” solos. It’s all about the articulation, the bending of notes in a specific way to wring every last ounce of passion and sadness from the strings.

Look, if it feels like I’m just spouting label and band-friendly hyperbole, I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do because as I sit here writing this, that’s all I feel does the album justice. One of my biggest pet peeves in metal is an album going longer than an hour. This album is damn near 80 minutes and I can’t think of any section I want shorter or cut altogether. That just doesn’t happen for me. It’s made the strongest early impression of any album so far this year, and the strongest early impression of any funeral doom album I’ve ever heard. This is Mournful Congregation’s crowning achievement. ‘The Incubus Of Karma’ is a fucking masterpiece.

‘The Incubus Of Karma’ is available in Europe through Osmose, or through 20 Buck Spin in North America.

Band info: Facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: SLOW - “V – Oceans”

By Marika Zorzi

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 26/01/2018

Label: Code666  Records

“V – Oceans”  crushingly heavy climaxes and reprieves alike hold many wonderful nuances and hidden melodic flourishes that deepen its sense of reverence and measureless pulchritude.

“V – Oceans” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Aurore
2. Ténèbres
3. Déluge
4. Néant

5. Mort

The Review:

It isn’t often that you come across a project that has the disarming intensity of “V-Oceans”.  Its creator is SLOW (which stands for Silence Lives Out/Over Whirlpool), a one-man band founded in 2007 by Déhà (We All Die [Laughing], Imber Luminis, Clouds, Cult of Erinyes, Merda Mundi, Vaer, etc.). In 2017, he joined forces with lyricist Lore B (Ter Ziele) to complete this incredible record.

“V – Oceans” is an atmospheric funeral doom album in which anxiety and dull pain leave no hope. “V – Oceans” comes about as close to capturing the unimaginable depths of the abyss as the human imagination is capable of. SLOW has succeeded in anchoring us to the deepest parts of our planet's marine biosphere with almost an hour of brooding funeral doom that conjures stark panoramas of dimly lit seascapes and the slow undulations of rolling swells. Much of “V – Oceans”' success in this regard lies in its masterful production values that paint a stunning aquatic landscape resplendent with a gradient shaft of sunlight far above the trenches of the ocean floor. The graceful portraits of horizonless views give us so much more than that, and the crushingly heavy climaxes and reprieves alike hold many wonderful nuances and hidden melodic flourishes that deepen its sense of reverence and measureless pulchritude.

“V – Oceans” keeps returning to the more dramatic sounds, hitting the melodic peaks that Déhà has accustomed us to over the years. The album flows like a liquid, without breaks between the long numbers, taking us from the first to the last note in close contact with the musical trademark that unites a powerful genre like funeral doom.

Originally published last year by GS Productions in Russia and now reissued on Jan 26^th via Code666 Records, the five tracks created for the SLOW project provide us with one of the most successful albums in the European funeral doom scene, creating a fifty-minute dive into the depths of an abyss where escape seems impossible, never mind managing to discern any glimmer of light.

A visceral sound that, playing with an aquatic atmosphere, moves slowly in multiple directions, drawing in the listener with ambiances rich in ripples and details. A prominent melodic inspiration is the inner force that drives all of “V – Oceans”, accompanied by a cavernous growling that gives full expression to the sentiments conveyed by the instrumental side.

For everyone who loves funeral doom. You must not miss this album.

“V – Oceans” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Usnea - "Portals Into Futility"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date Released: 05/09/2017

Label: Relapse Records

The guitars are thoroughly dissonant and murky, the bass is husky and drums voluminous. Then there are the vocals, which feel like they're being delivered with the sort of urgency of someone trapped at the bottom of a deep well. The whole composition of the record is just magnificent for doom fans.

“Portals into Futility” CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Eidolons and the Increate

2. Lathe of Heaven

3. Demon Haunted World

4. Pyrrhic Victory

5. A Crown of Desolation

The Review:

Portland's Usnea is known and loved for a few things. These include its unique doom metal sound, ambitious concepts and sprawling music. Its 2014 four-song recording, "Random Cosmic Violence," clocked in at about an hour. Its self-titled 2013 debut contained two tracks on vinyl, with download code for two songs comprising 25 more minutes. And although the genre is rather renowned for its density, with "Portals into Futility" ticking in at just under an hour, Usnea demonstrates aptitude for music with a rare depth.

After its release, there were murmurs that "Random Cosmic Violence" did not deliver the oomph of Usnea's debut. Some of that clatter could well be chalked up to what follows promising acts that go from independent labels to big independents like Relapse. Critics pointed to a wilder vocal style in the debut sliding into a two-vocalist approach that could be seen as formulaic at turns. Exciting moments there were, but subtle questions amped up some of the tension.

"Portals into Futility" is a solid return to form for a young band widely expected to do great things. There are also hints of maturation for its songsmithing. Along with the longer tracks – two songs compose about half the playing time here – that allow this imaginative group some musical space  and are cuts that seem indicative of a crew that is open to test itself and the genre itself. Such courage is rather exhilarating, and makes for quite a frenzied trip.

Usnea's return starts with "Eidolons and the Increate," for which there is likely a fantastic backstory or other mythology. Heavy of the sludge, you may also notice some post-punk and funeral doom influences herein. Joel Williams and Justin Cory are back on vocal duties, and they seem far sharper this time around. They manage to keep the opener – at 12 minutes in length, you might ponder the wisdom of this kind of beginning – very dynamic. Usnea's bass and drums are a stand out early too. Credit the tight arrangement and what seems to be an evolution of Usnea's performance. Such advancement is to be expected for a group that sticks together after a few years. You similarly hear this progression in this next track, "Lathe of Heaven," a compact song that is a good example of why many have seen so much potential in Usnea. From a relaxed build with an almost Americana or desert vibe, Usnea plunges you into a far less hospitable place just before the three-minute mark. The guitars are thoroughly dissonant and murky, the bass is husky and drums voluminous. Then there are the vocals, which feel like they're being delivered with the sort of urgency of someone trapped at the bottom of a deep well. The whole composition is just magnificent for doom fans.

The terror continues with "Demon Haunted World" then to "Pyrrhic Victory," where the vocals alternate between Williams and Cory. If you enjoyed them together on "Random Cosmic Violence," you will most assuredly find their work on the latest leaps and bounds better. The vocal pairing feels more clearly formed and executed on the latest. If you did not love it last time, you may well be won over by Usnea's growth. The production on "Portals of Futility" is flawless across the board, and lyrically and vocally there is no exception. This is top-shelf doom metal sure to excite fans.

The album's closing, "A Crown of Desolation," is arguably the best, and the most perplexing, cut. The folk-flecked chords hurl the listener headlong into a thick wall of guitar. As noted, Usnea is not afraid to test itself, and this song breaks away from its characteristic vocals to offer ghostly choruses and ultraheavy bass lines that press hard on your mind. Over the track's 19-plus minutes, you will catch the aforementioned folk chords and choruses again, and more of what makes the quartet so good, and a few departures from what you've heard throughout. Finishing with a standard doom track with slow guitars and howling vocals might have been a perfectly satisfying way to wrap. Instead you get a song befitting its place at the conclusion of the recording.

"Portals of Futility" is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM PREMIERE: Suffer Yourself get spiritual with "Ectoplasm"

Suffer Yourself play a unique blend of funeral/death/doom metal, with a touch of dark ambience Beyond subgenres, the music is dark and atmospheric, drawing influences from all around the metal spectrum, which can be heard throughout their discography.

Throughout their tenure, Suffer Yourself has existed in several locations. Originally founded in Poland in 2011, they then moved to Ukraine, developing a stable fan base and playing a number of shows, but eventually found a new home in Linköping, Sweden, where the band brought in fresh blood in the form of new local members Lars Abrahamsson (guitar) and Malcolm Sohlen (bass).

The first album, “Inner Sanctum”, was released in 2014 by Cimmerian Shade Recordings (USA), which was a follow-up to a demo published in 2012 and later released on limited edition cassette tape by Contaminated Tones (USA). With winter drawing in, their new album, "Ectoplasm", is set for release on November 25 2016 (digital/cassette/digipak) via Cimmerian Shade Recordings and with a vinyl release due in Early 2017.  The new album is a continuation of the path started on “Inner Sanctum”, but with a slightly different feel, this time with a more aggressive, but also darker sound.

The songs are filled with occult themes, dark matters and ambient parts, touching on themes of non-existence, spiritual experiences, the infinity of space and unrecoverable loss. Added to that the incredible artwork by Ibay Arifin Suradi, this is one album you wont want to overlook and today we’re going to make sure this band gets the attention they deserve with the premiere of this monumental slab of doom which you can checkout below.  “Ectoplasm” is available here

“Ectoplasm” CD//CS//DD//LP track list:

1). Ectoplasm

2). Abysmal Emptiness

3). The Core

4). Dead Visions

5). Transcend The Void

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Un - “The Tomb of All Things” (Album Review) & Full Album Stream

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 11/11/2016

Label: Tridroid Records

If you have any interest in doom, bleak atmospheric music of any type, funeral type riffs and paces with a lighter touch in some of the instrumental passages that brings to mind post metal and even black metal at times, then this record is most definitely for you.

“The Tomb of All Things” CD//DD//CS track listing:

1). Epigraph

2). Sol Marasmus

3). Forgotten Path

4). Through The Luminous Dusk

5). The Tomb Of All Things

The Review:

Tridroid Records have dusted off a gem of record from 2015 and are set to release it on cassette on Friday 11/11/2016. The album in question  Un's “The Tomb of All Things”. is a dark and powerful record mixing funeral doom riffs and paces with a lighter touch in some of the instrumental passages that brings to mind post metal and even black metal at times. The production is both airy and sharp with heft in abundance.

Songs are not songs at all (Not a track under ten minutes apart from the intro “Epigraph”). It is a crawlingly slow listen in the main, but has light and shade in there as well. Tracks such as “Through The Luminous Dark” have a wistful quality and some great melancholic soloing. Don't expect traditional structures- it is more about mood and atmosphere; ably created on the likes of “Forgotten Path” and “Sol Marasmus”.

By the time the title track shimmers forth (as shimmer it does) I was fully ensconced in the album and found the vibe created to be oddly relaxing as well as bleak. Naturally, the band is devastatingly heavy at times- but with more influences than just the doom genre being brought into play the record is unique.

If you have any interest in doom, bleak atmospheric music of any type and fancy hearing something not easily pigeonholed then this record is most definitely for you.

“The Tomb of All Things” is available here

Band info: Facebook | Bandcamp

Un Live rituals

11/09 Portland, OR at HIGH WATER MARK

11/10 Sacramento, CA at STARLITE LOUNGE
11/11 Oakland, CA at THE GOLDEN BULL
11/13 Long Beach, CA MIDNITE COMMUNION FEST (early show)
11/13 San Diego, CA with Un at TOWER BAR
11/14 Tempe, AZ at THE ROUGE
11/15 Santa Fe, at TBA

Additional dates (only Un):

11/17 Denver, CO at TBA
11/18 Colorado Springs, CO at THE FLUX CAPACITOR
11/19 TBA

Lycus - "Chasms" (Album Review)

By: Josh Lee

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/01/2016

Label: Relapse Records

The song writing doesn’t so much feel like Lycus are writing ‘riffs’, rather that they are weaving together sounds; the way that each of the songs progress is so effortlessly done without any sense of repetition, each coming to a satisfying and climactic conclusion.  “Chasms” is a brilliantly executed take on an incredibly specific style; when Lycus play slow, they don’t meander, rather drag you down with them for them to wallow in their on misery, and the dynamic nature of the record means the listener is subsequently taken through whatever fresh Hell the band have in store for them next.

“Chasms” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Solar Chamber

2). Chasms

3). Mirage

4). Obsidian Eyes

The Review:

Funeral doom metal band Lycus have already established themselves as the purveyors of their bleak, crushing style of metal with their 2013 release “Tempest” and 2011 demo preceding it. “Tempest” in particular found the band with a sudden wave of online attention, receiving positive coverage from the likes of Pitchfork and The Needle Drop despite its largely underground appeal. For the uninitiated, ‘funeral doom metal’ is possibly the most apt description for Lycus’ sound; slow, trudging and miserable metal that’s heavily reliant on mournful tones and understandably long song structures, likening it to the soundtrack of a funeral procession. Such a pigeonhole of a genre leaves room for doubt; incredibly specific genre tags run the risk of becoming stale easily. The issue with a lot of modern doom metal is that either the droning, low-end guitars may fall into the background and out of our attention, or the reliance on these deep tones leads to many bands sounding like clones of one another. “Chasms”, however, casts off these stereotypes and proves itself to be both a dynamic and interesting listen.

Lycus have already demonstrated their capabilities in songwriting, and “Chasms” is no different – the variability in the sounds on this album already puts them a notch up from their doom contemporaries. While a lot of this record travels at a snail’s pace through these incredibly slow, sorrowful passages, around these very steady song structures are sudden bursts of intensity or eerie quieter moments; in particular the opening track ‘Solar Chamber’ quickly dives from its lumbering pace into frantic blast-beat drumming so seamlessly it feels almost natural rather than jarring. The song writing doesn’t so much feel like Lycus are writing ‘riffs’, rather that they are weaving together sounds; the way that each of the songs progress is so effortlessly done without any sense of repetition, each coming to a satisfying and climactic conclusion. There’s also a true sense of atmosphere that Lycus are obviously conscious of, which becomes incredibly apparent with the inclusion of extra string instrumentation on the title track and ‘Mirage’, or the mantra-like vocals that haunt the sonic background throughout the album. Lycus’ attention to these more atmospheric details undoubtedly gives this record much more depth than it would have otherwise.

“Chasms” is a brilliantly executed take on an incredibly specific style; when Lycus play slow, they don’t meander, rather drag you down with them for them to wallow in their on misery, and the dynamic nature of the record means the listener is subsequently taken through whatever fresh Hell the band have in store for them next. And yet, it doesn’t feel too far removed from other releases in the genre. Exploring a dark landscape of sounds, Lycus ultimately craft an album that is bleak as it is intriguing.

“Chasms” is available here

FFO: Ahab, Mournful Congregation, Asunder, Bell Witch

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Fórn - "Weltschmerz" EP (Review)

By: Chris Bull

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 19/11/2015

Label: Gilead Media

The distortion kicks in and reduces everything to rubble. Stylistically, it's blackened funeral doom; depressing and bleak in it's melody but inherently evil and completely devastating. The vocals are growled from the bowels of the underworld and screamed from the edge of oblivion.  , Fórn have created something perfect for the end of the year; let it smash your 2015 into oblivion like a biblical flood. You can start anew in 2016.

'Weltschmerz' DD//LP track listing:

1). Saudade (Part I)

2). Saudade (Part II)

3). Dolor (Part I)

4). Dolor (part II)

The Review:

Boston MA's Fórn have delivered one of the bleakest, most soul crushing albums of 2015 with 'Weltschmerz' and that pleases me so...

'Saudade Part I' starts with mournful guitar playing like the weight of the world rests solely on the shoulder of the player. As a second guitar joins in briefly, we're treated to sorrow in its purest form. The distortion kicks in and reduces everything to rubble. Stylistically, it's blackened funeral doom; depressing and bleak in it's melody but inherently evil and completely devastating. The vocals are growled from the bowels of the underworld and screamed from the edge of oblivion by vocalist Chris Pinto. 3 and half minutes in, the tempo increases momentarily before its doomier side slithers back in. 'Saudade Part II' is more ambient and post apocalyptic than its predecessor, mostly utilising clean guitars and no drums. 'Dolor Part I' follows with everything slowly crushing from the get go, washing away all life in swathes of overdriven and reverberating guitars. A clean, picked riff stands alone on the precipice of the earth before the second wave hits and destroys buildings, mountains and trees. As the final note plays out it bleeds slowly into 'Dolor Part II'. An apocalyptic wasteland, drowning in its own decay is all that remains. Solemn and sombre guitars build claustrophobically, engulfing and entangling the listener and slowly diminishes into feedback.

Despite only being 2 actual songs and 2 drumless instrumentals, there is plenty of tectonic doom to be had, it's similar to 2014's 'The Departure of Consciousness' but warm and earthy. With 'Weltschmerz', Fórn have created something perfect for the end of the year; let it smash your 2015 into oblivion like a biblical flood. You can start anew in 2016.

“Weltschmerz” is available here

Band info: bandcamp | facebook

Swallow The Sun - "Songs From The North I, II, III" (Album Review)

By: Dan C.

Album Type: Full Length (Triple)

Date Released: 13/11/2015

Label: Century Media Records

There’s a mix of styles throughout this first epic piece as it will blend in some acoustic folk on up to more or less funeral doom arrangements.  The second album is much more refined and clean which leans strongly towards a folk approach.  The third album comes back to more doom laden tracks. This 3^rd piece is even heavier than the first. I think of the band Kongh when Swallow the Sun hit some pivotal doom moments here.  Songs from the North is some serious shit. Now go turn this stellar masterpiece all the way up and break out the whiskey and hash.

“Songs From the North I, II, III CD//DD//LP track listing:

Disc 1

1. With You Came the Whole of the World's Tears

2. 10 Silver Bullets

3. Rooms and Shadows

4. Heartstrings Shattering

5. Silhouettes 6. The Memory of Light

7. Lost & Catatonic

8. From Happiness to Dust

Disc 2

1. The Womb of Winter

2. The Heart of a Cold White Land

3. Away

4. Pray for the Winds to Come

5. Songs from the North

6. 66,50´N,28,40´E

7. Autumn Fire

8. Before the Summer Dies

Disc 3

1. The Gathering of Black Moths

2. 7 Hours Late

3. Empires of Loneliness

4. Abandoned by the Light

5. The Clouds Prepare for Battle

Swallow the Sun is:

Juha Raivio | guitar

Markus Jämsen | guitar

Mikko Kotamäki | vocals

Matti Honkonen | bass

Aleksi Munter | keys

Juuso Raatikainen | drums

The Review:

Finish group, Swallow the Sun, take a big leap of faith with their latest release, “Songs from the North I, II & III,” which takes the word “fucking epic” to a new level. This is a TRIPLE album in case you didn’t follow the number sequence there within the album title. Swallow the Sun blend so many different variations of sound within this entire series of albums that it’s hard to pin down on what style of music to call it. There’s cathedral/organ sounding keys at times mixed with regular piano sounds, guitars that go from distorted to ambient delayed harmonies, vocal ranges that go from dark guttural Neanderthal grunts to clean and polished and finally the drums that are pretty slow and fluid throughout.

The first album leans towards darker elements and with swooping guitars that doom out with lots of echo on the vocals. There’s a mix of styles throughout this first epic piece as it will blend in some acoustic folk on up to more or less funeral doom arrangements.  

The second album is much more refined and clean which leans strongly towards a folk approach. You will not hear any distorted guitars on this 2^nd piece so either broaden your mind or skip on to the third album. There are ambient textures within the flow of keys and acoustic guitars along with harmonies that embellish strange mystical moody stuff that will make you sleepy if you smoke too much herb. It’s pretty ballsy of these guys to break out into such delicate tunes sandwiched in between two heavy doom albums.

The third album comes back to more doom laden tracks. This 3^rd piece is even heavier than the first. I think of the band Kongh when Swallow the Sun hit some pivotal doom moments here. The keys are still strong in this third album but the guitars are more dominant than anything else. Lots of guttural vocals closing out the album with a black metal vocal approach. 

This is an album I see myself drinking to while chaos ensues around the city, with my power cut off, so I’m catering to candles everywhere, I lost my dog, my girlfriend and my heroin and there’s no chance I’ll be able to catch the next episode of Hell’s Kitchen on the telly. So there you go. Songs from the North is some serious shit. Now go turn this stellar masterpiece all the way up and break out the whiskey and hash.  

“Songs from the North I, II, III” is available here

FFO: Novembers Doom, Katatonia, Ghost Brigade, My Dying Bride

Band info: official