Obsequies

I wasn't aware of Eurynome until I heard a track from this album on Bandcamp, and after waiting patiently for the album to arrive via the mail, I finally received it soon after ordering. Hailing from Italy this is the first full album since their formation in 2018 has ensured this recording is very much a mature, focused release with no hints of inexperienced songwriting often found in some bands early efforts. This album also boasts cover art, with the image depicting a lone figure standing standing at the foot of a ruined monument - poignant symbolism of the isolation and loneliness described in the lyrics. I actually didn't immediately listen to the cd upon receiving it as I thought having a first listen at night would be more fitting the sombre, slow music that I knew was to come.

Consisting of just two main members, this cd is an epic journey of funeral doom with a palpable sense of melancholy, reminiscent of Bellwitch and Ahab. There is dual vocals here, male and female, with the male vocals consisting of powerful growls (very similar to Thomas A.G. Jensen of Saturnus) and occasional clean vocals which provide sharp contrasts to the distorted basses, Delacroix uses an angelic voices, who also plays piano on the album, in addition to writing the music for the tracks. The use of orchestrations is a nice touch, a sign of classical music influence, which the basses melodies gives to the album a sophisticated Gothic feel.

'Obsequies' begins with the Eloquence Of The Doomsday Fog track, and starts off with a surprisingly solemn heavy riff that leads into some darkness emphasis. The vocal interplay between main lyricist Marinelli and is top notch in this track, and leads well into a highly emotive, the female vocaled affair, featuring just orchestrations and chords progressions accompaniment. The second song, 'The Ancient Stele Of Eurynome', is the second longest on the album (behind the five track), clocking in at a bit over 10 minutes, but the length of the track is of no detriment as it features some nice melodic riffs and spoken word vocals that make for an interesting change in tone colour in the light of Jacopo's growls. 'The Dead Warden' while it serves as a nice interlude between the melancholia of 'At The Solitary Crypt' and 'Conducting To Our Own Funeral' it doesn't sever the atmosphere built by the albums early songs. 'One With The Graveyard’s Undergrowth' is next, it is a new instrumental interlude to the last ‘The End Of All We Know’. Production is good, this album reminds me a lot of Doom:VS which I think suits the album perfectly.

This is a highly emotive record, filled with many great elements, such as melancholy, great vocals (by both singers), excellent musicianship, atmosphere, and heartfelt lyrics. Anyone who is a fan of Ahab, Bellwitch, Ahab, Doom:VS, Novembers Doom or any of the bands mentioned in this review would do very well to purchase this.