Hopeless

Less than a year after Destroyer of Light sent us deep into the Chamber of Horrors, they briefly stopped by to remind us all that everything is Hopeless. Lame jokes aside, a two-song EP like this can either be a filler release to keep a band’s name out there or a chance for them to try something new. While Hopeless remains defined by Destroyer of Light’s doomy tempos and almost operatic vocals, they found a new way to present these elements.

When comparing this EP to Destroyer of Light’s previous outings, I can’t help but wonder if they were as entranced by Bell Witch’s Mirror Reaper as everybody else was in 2017. You won’t find any growled vocals on here and the tempos don’t reach that eighty-two-minute opus’ funeral doom exhaustion, but these songs are slower than anything they’ve done before. The guitar playing is also much more melodic and a mournful air can be felt throughout, certainly a far cry from their usual horror doom fare.

Fortunately, the band happens to be pretty good at this style and both songs are executed thoroughly well. While “Nyx” sees more of that mournful side coming through, especially at the soft closing, I may enjoy “Drowned” a hair more due to its comparably straightforward riff set. The short overall runtime may lend a hand in these eight and nine-minute tracks never outstaying their welcome, but they’d probably be just as solid with a couple more tracks surrounding them.

The Hopeless EP is far removed from Destroyer of Light’s brand of doom but considering how much the band has changed since their conception, it isn’t too surprising to see them pull off a different approach to the genre. Seeing how the band is planning their third full-length album for next year, it’ll be interesting to see how this sound plays into it or if this’ll just be a one-time thing. Either way, Hopeless is worth checking out for those who like their doom transcendentally sad.

Highlights:
“Drowned”

Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com