Doomystic

Here we are, savouring this act’s sixth full-length opus… a mournful lamentable journey has been theirs, one that has been trying to expand its doom foundations with various condiments, the guys looking for shelter in veiled gothic romanticism, whimsical operatic flamboyance, occasional harsher black metal-ish strokes, and not always compatible fast-paced histrionics, the resultant mixture by all means on the positive side, regardless of the listener’s predicament as to where exactly to place them: next to Moonspell, or My Dying Bride, or early Katatonia…

“Burial of the Sad”, the previous instalment, the return of some sorts after a long break, answered those wonderings pretty nicely, the band finally settling for the style that fits them best, romantic melancholic doom without any stylistic exertions, atmospheric slow-burning music quite comparable to the one of the mentioned British masters. Needless to add, vast swathes of the earlier four albums are based on those same vistas, but 18 years later the guys bet on homogeneity and forlorn lyricism, another testimony for this ethereal but fairly effective delivery being the album reviewed here.

Those who still have problems accepting Thomas Karlsson’s characteristic vocals into their bloodstream, will have another trying period, the man carrying on with his morose semi-monotonous semi-recitals, his actual singing attempts bordering on the hoarse and the protracted, with not much emotion elicited throughout. To these ears his exploits aren’t that detrimental, especially not here as the doom procession is unwavering and steady, the sorrowful title-track initiating it with suitable dark hypnotic rhythms, the latter readily picked by the remainder, sometimes resembling a funeral parlour soundtrack (“Witches Dawn”), sometimes attempting a more valiant march (“Jealousic Where Flowers Wither”) with grievous but potent riffage and bold ventures into the mid-tempo realm. Seeping drama rises from “Medievil Crucidiction”, but before this section turns into a near-death experience come bouts of solemnity which finely decelerate into a soothing acoustic epitaph, the latter stretched into a wholesome composition, the closing ballad “Moon Ghost”, which also sees Karlsson replaced by nice meditative female vocals.

A masterful display all over, with great albeit short lead sections supporting the academically sombre parade, excluded from the short ambient instrumental piece “Frozen Solitude in the Coven”. The band don't flinch, staying the course with genuine dedication, sounding as convincing as ever, consolidating themselves on the top of the doom metal roster in their homeland… or at least very near it, cause when you’re in the company of luminaries like Candlemass, Isole, Memory Garden, Avatarium, Count Raven, etc. you may need less mysticism in your doom-spawning recipe… but keep the enigma intact, please. And no rush, cause haste makes waste… needful to add.