Symphony I - Deep Dark Red

Honestly, discussing this band is not easy and discussing this release is no different in this regard. Where to start and also where to end? Over 57 minutes in total, seven tracks, of which the shortest has a length of 3:26 and the longest one offers 14:41 of music. Ambient funeral doom metal is the genre in this regard and the emphasis should be put on the former.

In some respect it is a pain to listen to this recording, even though the band offers some nice moments and is able to show glimpses when it comes to capabilities in terms of song-writing and creating an atmosphere. Yet these fragmented positive impressions are by no means enough though to cover the nuisances and fallacies, with which this release is riddled. Where to start?

Immediately obvious is the very formulaic approach in terms of the song-writing. As laid out in the title of this review, the music follows a very "patchy" approach, which should be understood as exactly that. At times one kind of musical approach switches over to another and without any transition or the sort. Such can be fine, but here it feels awkward and unnecessarily forced. There is nothing of a flow or consistency, but rather an assortment of ideas, jumbled together because ... well, because it was possible to do so. The listener has to endure it, which is not easy.

Funeral doom metal is (quite often) minimalist at its core and music that is played slow and taken back in terms of dynamics and such. In terms of "Until Death Overtakes Me" the aspect of ambient comes into play here as well, which amplifies the other genre and how it is perceived even more. The effect of this amalgam is music, whose flow appears stretched and overburdened with its attempt to pay tribute to either of these two facets. Yet instead of attempting to use the strength of either of these, the combination is more of a loose-loose relation, because the band is lost in a void of tiring arrangements, unnecessary repetition and pointless minimalism. Again and again it all drags on, again and again the listener has to endure this endless parade of one of the same idea. Minute after minute, song after song of this same approach and no end in sight. Sixty minutes is a lot of room to fill.

Yet there are moments in which the band is able to show some hints towards a level of self-awareness and how they could present their music. "Never Again" has these for instance. How the keyboards and vocals/guitars work together in the different parts is really nice, but those moments are not able to compensate for what makes up the rest of the album. What is the music and how can it be described? A dominant and nearly always present element is the keyboards. They generally tend to play a very minimalist and reduced kind of melody, whose dynamics appear to challenge a good portion of the snail families for non-speed. A drum-computer adds a certain counterpoint and accentuated intensity, especially as some of the motifs can be a bit faster at times. There are guitars of course and their play reminds rather on something from the drone genre. Or to put it in a different way: more like a texture than something else. Interestingly enough, the same can be said of the vocals, whose unintelligible growling joins in with what the strings offer. All together we have the following setting: drowning textures, with keyboards as a counterpoint and some, though not always present, kind of percussion element. As the synths makes up a good portion of the release, guitars, vocals, and drums are not always allowed to contribute something, it should be obvious why the statement, it tends to drag on and is at times painful to listen to, can be understood. How to evoke a dark and depressing atmosphere is not a question that can be answered in a single kind of way. Yet the reluctance or rather the inhibition of the music in this case by falling back on a simplistic and minimalist keyboard motif, contrasted by a growling texture sound, odd drums and some kind of guitar thing, appears to be a rather cheap excuse for stretching ideas over the limit to be honest.

Throughout this album there is always this basic and limited concept. Be it in terms of the song-writing or sound, at some point nothing surprising would happen at any given moment any more. And even though some nice moments are to be found here and there, all in all it is just not a good album.

Ever since I discovered Nortt a while back I have been on the quest for funeral doom that is so depressing that it ruins your day. I have not quite found it and may never find the holy grail but this comes fairly close. I had promptly downloaded this album on some recommendation of other members on this forum and as soon as the intro ended and the second song and first true song started I knew it: my day was ruined or came pretty close to that.

UDOM is described as symphonic funeral doom. obviously meaning that the keyboards are prominent, may contain violin like melodies and/or organs and is slow as fuck. The vocals are low, extrememely looooww and make the music even more depressing and somewhat claustrophobic. the music can range from almost drone like sections to fairly interesting passages on acoustic guitars and somewhat faster paced riffs (for funeral doom). It is somewhat standard fare for funeral doom but the musician (his name escapes me at the moment) somehow blended his elements and instruments, made his talent(s) shine and created a monolithic slab of day ruining depressive funeral doom.

The instruments are played very well on this musical outing and the composition is very competent as with the execution of the vocals and instruments.The lyrics are your standard funeral doom lyrics about death sorrow and depression and are written fairly competently but they are nothing to write home about.

The album lost points on the fact that some of the songs get a little droney and drawn out after a while but it is still a fantastic album. If you like funeral doom that is a monolithic slab of depression: buy or download this album.

UDOM, short for Until Death Overtakes Me, is one of the originals which inspire many new drone an funeral doom artists of the more melodic kind. Noteworthy, the album is part one of the symphony series, yet it was released after symphony II. Originally this album was a demo which only saw three copies, but as it is the beginning of the symphony series, it had to be re-recorded and re-released. Exactly where to place this album is hard to tell. It has aeons of ambient and atmospheric elements, drowning funeral-doom vocals and sometimes even a drum beat. The ambient elements are so plentiful that the music barely keeps to the metal side of the border. But one thing is for certain, the lyrics spells doom, the instruments only strentgthens that impression, and the sound of it all together just makes you want to hang your head down and close your eyes... Whatever else is in the music, it is still definately doom.

The music has been called druidic doom, which does fit the sound of the music well. Loads of mysterious and vague vibes has been scattered across the album, many of them have a classical sound. The sheer amount of them includes several flutelike synths and pianos. Ritual drums slowly walk onwards to the near drowning vocals, at a pace slow enough to shame most funeral doom tracks. The music fits the name of the album well. The music does paint a picture of a vast, dark reddish pulse that beats calmly and steadily. The music is all bathed in silence, all soaked in contemplation, and drenched in the longing for death to come. All of it sounds pure with just a tiny piece of taint, making it all a bittersweet while of beauty. But while beautiful, it is just so impossible to smile.

The vocals of the album is impossible to interpret without having the lyrics in front of you. The drowning vocals are either so deep or so nihilisticly whispered that it's impossible to discern what each word is. One track I could have sworn had no vocals unless I had them in front of me. As such the vocals is mainly an instrument to darken and focus the music. The lyrics deal with this life as merely a passing into death. Death is a relief from what problems this world puts upon us. It is darkness, but it is also peace of mind. Yet it is very clear that death does not come without a cost. There is wind in the trees, dreams, and her sweet voice. All of it will be dearly missed in the afterlife. Some of the lyrics deal with the passing of her, not us, and the longing which is only relieved by that she now has inner peace. For death is the only true inner peace.

Interpretation of the tracks:
-Silent Dreams: is a wast track with large empty spaces. A serene tone echoes far into the eternity with an almost chanting buzz hoovering on the deeper notes. It is just an intro track, but it still has the very same mood which dominates the rest of the album. This is the only one of the tracks which has none of that taint in the beauty. It's just an aeon of pretty, yet dark red colours. It's very quiet and thoughtfull, while it still seems like everything is at ease. Yet it is just a dream which enters before the truth comes. A wast hidden hall to relax in, and let the contemplation sink in, so that we may later feel it when the taint comes. For now all there is, is the eternity of sad serenity around us.

-They Never Hope: begins quietly before going over into a dark, yet soaring buzz accompanying the vocals. An oboe-like flute joins in later with some ritualistic drums. Inbetween the vocal sessions is vast silent gaps only breaked by a light almost dancing tune. All of it creates a harsh atmosphere where grief and sorrow follow eachother, interrupted by moments of peace. It is clear which look death has in this track. Death is a release from the cold world surrounding this life, an end breaking through to a beginning. Yet to let go of life is hard. The tears of dispair must be experienced before one can let go, but it is not an option to live. There are no dreams, hopes or comforts left in life. Now all that is left is to leave life behind, and never return.

-In The Light Of Dying Summer: consist mainly of a piano and a synth-flute. The track is very quiet and sad. Instead of being wast like Silent Dreams, it has the normal comfortable feeling of a livingroom sized space. Not so comfortable is the chilly aura of depression which follows the track. The music repeats itself much of the time, first going slowly more quiet, then growing back in strength. It is supposedly a set of vocals on this track, but ever how hard I try I cannot hear them. They might just be lying far into the background and not ment to be heard, but I cannot tell wether they exist or not. The UDOM homepage does claim it's existance so I trust that it is there. And it must be truly depresive to match the tune.

-Never Again: sees the same buzzing sound as earlier, working together with the deep ritualistic drums. The lower keys of a church organ and a synth flute gives the song melody. This is a depressive track, yet it is calm and lingering. In the middle of the track everything changes. The ritualistic drums strike harder and the music becomes slightly aggressive. When that section is over the flute has been replaced by a violin synth. Even though death is the theme, the track holds no dispair, just a relaxed knowing of what is to come. An acceptance of death. The lyrics tells all to clearly that death does do us apart. When death comes, we will never see eachother again. Yet even if death is final, it is the only way out.

-Careless, Painless, Far Away: begins with a relaxed violin synth, soon to be joined by a piano and the ritualistic drums. As the relaxed music progresses, whispered vocals follows. Taking turns the whispering vocals swtches places with some growled vocals. The growled vocals drag along a much grimmer soung. The ritualistic drums pace up, supported by marracas, giving it the same feeling as a ritual sacrifice. The lyrics speak of no longer caring for this world. Cold, dim and painless. And deep dark red blood falls. It is no longer a just a painful longing for death. A longing to pass on from this world. Once the blood has been drawn, the longing becomes reality, and life leaves. Now has begun the dying. Never will this world bring us harm again, and never again will we harm it.

-Towards The Emptyness: a windlike synth blows up and down, giving the image of being in a huge, voidlike wind tunnel. A fainth church organ synth plays in the background of the music, giving a funeral feeling to the quietness. The track has a wast atmosphere of emptyness and lonelyness, yet it spreads a magical calm to the soul. This is the passing itself, the leaving from this world and into the beyond. Peace creeps slowly into the heart, and puts the hurts at ease. All fears fly away and vanish. Never will the wind be felt, the dreams be dreamed, and her lovely words be heard. All that has been longed for has come, and emptyness engulfs us. At last the dream has been fulfilled...