Celaenus Fragments

Fungoid Stream... if the name doesn't ring any bells to you then don't feel guilty for this project is still quite obscure, a thing that's quite spiteful given the fact that the Lovecraft themed debut "Celaenus Fragments" is so good it's a sin to look over this one if you're somehow into doom metal. Alas no review worths its readers' attenion without the technical aspects mentioned, so there goes:

There are actually only two complaints about the music on my behalf. Two barriers that prevent this album from reaching the otherwise well deserved three-digits. It might be considered nitpicking on my behalf, but I just couldn't pass over them without a mention: first, the vocalist - while not incorrigibly bad, but I believe a better replacement could and should have been found with little difficulty. If you're able to writing good music, it doesn't neccessarily mean that you can perform it as good, that's the rule of thumb. This rule should have been also applied to the drum programming, which is plain ignorant on this release, besides being programmed via MIDI with the understandable dismay involved as a result. Once again, being an "all round musician" Joseph C. aspires to be could be a rather respectable position, but why insisting on programming the drums if you don't have the slightest of ideas how to, and was it THAT hard to find someone who has?

Luckily enough, the release relies majorly on an atmospheric, even dark ambient-esque moods and mesmerising melodic hooks, so the drums and the vocals usually do not interfere in these parts that much, so there's a redeeming value, given the fact that in those sheer melodic ambiences that literally flood the album lies the very essence - and the grandeur - of Celaenus Fragments, to a point that this album can face the best of Ulver's or C17H19NO3's works without smirking. Besides the exessive accent on synth work they throw in "distorted guitars" (their source would be either sampled or synth electric guitars) and the mockable vocals and drums mentioned above, thus giving the album a doomier edge in a manner that quite disrupts the overall feeling - in a good sense, by varying the mood instead of spoiling it, but in overall there's a very strong dark ambient aesthetic that's being followed, resulting in a very laid back and spacious athmosphere that's very pleasant to take a nap to.


Overall: It is a great debut, nothwithstanding with it being a great album in general. One of the very chosen few albums I've bought without being familiar with the band before and I don't regret a dime spent on it. Recommended to doom metal fans and ambient/darkwave fans (a-la Elend) alike.