Old Europa Death Chants

I was satisfied with this album, but a bit disappointed. I give it a 70– not on par with the upper echelons of metal albums, but a good listen. That might seem a bit low, but it's quite good, as I am counting 50 as average.

If you’re considering buying this album, what should you know?

Length and style: It’s relatively long and slow. The songs range from about 10 to 16 minutes, and the album is nearly an hour and 20 minutes long. If you dislike doom, funeral doom, drone, dark ambient, etc, then this album is likely not going to please.

Vocals: The first track is unlike the rest of the album, as it features what could perhaps be described as a gothic-classical style with clean singing. Moody, perhaps a bit over the top (not necessarily a bad thing), but out of place. Most of the remainder of the album contains slow growling and feedback. There are some clean vocals interlaced with low growling on the fourth track. Normally, I don’t like the combination, but it’s subtle and well-done here.

Instruments: There’s some discordant percussion on the second track which might remind one of Khanate or Khlyst, while on other tracks, drums provide a simple beat. There’s a surprisingly ‘upbeat’ section beginning about the middle of the third track, but it does not break the mood. The last track is virtually all feedback, but not abrasive. I thought it made a soothing ending to the album but if you’re not in the mood, it could get boring.

The sound is subdued but contains hints of aggression, producing a soothing effect. What disappointed me was that there appeared to be no folk influences, unless you count the apparent acoustic section at the beginning of the 4th track. Given the title and artwork, I was expecting something that incorporated folky images of death and decay in moldy old European style: memento mori, Totentanz, decaying medieval buildings, chants, plague, sackcloth and ashes, etc.