Funeral doom is always a genre that holds many surprises for those who want to dig in deep and find some obscure names. Funeral doom in Russia has a long history, dating as far back as 1988 with the formation of fellow Muscovites Вой (whose album may even predate Thergothon's first demo in 1991). The first album by Russian band The Extinct Dreams is a cornucopia of doom/death riffs, at times slow as funeral doom and fast enough to have a blast beat. This album is at its best when things are slow. The drum-machine can get a little off-putting, but there is a lot of thought put into the songs on this album and a great atmosphere to accompany them. Lots of awesome riffs to be found here, not just slow ones either, this album has some head banging melodic death metal elements as well.
This really is an excellent album to listen to while driving right at the time of day when the sun is dipping below the horizon. I always love when a band manages to match their musical atmosphere with the visual atmosphere of their album cover. Several of the songs have compelling, catchy riffs. Shadows of Light in particular is perfect for viewing sunsets. The end of the track Ars Moriendi has even found its way into dreams I've had. I once woke up with that final melody repeating in my head and I needed to know where it was from. I did not have to search for long.
The Extinct Dreams already display the best characteristics that make them the finest funeral doom metal band from Russia, hands down. But they would refine them even further in the coming years.