In Loving Memory - The Withering

    IN LOVING MEMORY is a melodic death/doom band from Spain, who formed in 2005. "The Withering" is their third full length album; they have also released one demo and an EP. I discovered IN LOVING MEMORY months back and have been excited about this release for some time. Their brand of doom is both expansive and moving and "The Withering" continues this. What stands out on this album is that it is so musical. What I mean about this is every instrument gets their time to shine without a single one overpowering the other. It isn’t just one huge slab of guitar that sort of hangs there or one riff that keeps going and going. There is a lot of happening in each of these songs. It is depressing yet melodic and enlightened. Any fans of melodic tinged, Gothic doom with death growls won't find anything here original but fortunately you will also find a well composed album that you won't be able to put down. 

     The album opens with "Stellar Runaway" and a thick, slow riff that is not only catchy but also made me do the slow doom full body head bang. The song is expansive and adds on layers of melodies but always comes back to that huge riff from the beginning. The middle of the song is powered by simple but extremely heavy riffs and keys. This entire movement is organic in relation to the previous minutes and rather moving. The intense and clever drumming keeps the pace adding a heavy and intense layer to offset the sorrowful doom. 

     "The Dance Of Moons," begins with clean tones but the doomed distortion rises up behind it. The music, varied and multi layered, flows effortlessly. The low death growls meld into it, all band members playing in tragic harmony. The dual harmonies in the song's mid portion are introduced at just the perfect moment and really make a catchy bridge to the song in addition to sounding a bit Gothic—and that melodic bass is superb. The band, and album, is at its best when they pour on the unrelenting melancholy but have a fierce focus.

     "Translucid Remains," is a prime example and one of the best tracks on the album and they have done, period. The thick riffs and deep growls lay down a doom/death foundation but the melodies and harmonies make it soar. The later half of the song is serene as it effectively combines their core sound with a melodic death approach—think a more doom oriented INSOMNIUM. "Sun Of Ebony" is another banger– this track soars during the melodic parts and hammers when they take a heavier path. Despite the track being made up of two distinctions, it is pieced together perfectly

    "Martyrdom Of Light," is the massive last track. The guitars swirl together, creating a tapestry that gives a the song a dense feel but also open and expansive. The song's journey reinforces the idea they approached the album as just wanting to make damn good songs and let them flow out naturally. 

     "The Withering" is IN LOVING MEMORY's best album so far although it has released early in the year, it has more than enough staying power to contend with what will come.

Anthems Of Isolation - Apocalyptic Portrayals

    Anthems Of Isolation is a death/doom band from Iraq, which is interesting in of itself because I don't know if I've ever heard a band from this country before, much less one in this style. "Apocalyptic Portrayals," is a funeral doom album but it does things a bit different than what other bands usually bring to the genre. The most obvious aspect is the songs are much further than usual. Instead of songs that be fifteen or twenty minute longs, this album focuses on a range that is much shorter, with the longest song being eight and a half minutes long and the shortest just five and a half minutes long. I actually found this to be rather enjoyable because I don't always have the time to jam out to a song that might take ten minutes just to get going, although I certainly do appreciate that style. But this one is something 

    I appreciate equally--after all, funeral doom is a style that doesn't need to be pigeon holed by long song is they aren't needed. Across the 41 minute run time of the album, each song sounds very complete and self contained. By focusing on the overall sound of funeral doom, rather than every little individual element, the band has written an album that is as despondent and heavy as funeral doom but also much more approachable. 

     "Signs Of Cataclysm," opens the album with quiet notes that do a great job in building tension---they don't to spend half a song doing it. The beauty of this band's song writing process is they know just what each song needs to work--nothing more, nothing less. The vocals are on the lower register; they sound like his throat is full of gravel yet he remains intelligible. Very impressive! The song isn't overly complicated but nor is it caveman simple. Instead the ones just flow out naturally, the song acting as a constant naturally extension of itself. The song contains a lot of melody built into the layers between the guitars and bass but this isn't a "happy" melodic but instead a dim glow that only touches the edges of darkness, rather than drive it away. 

     "Wither Divinities," has excellent use of keyboards; they are subtle but are used so well they offer a big presence. A powerful roar accompanies them on the opening of the song. This particular track is one big wall of sound, all the instruments blending together like the destructive winds of a hurricane. The song drops all that for a mid section complete with ambient textures and filtered clean vocals. Around the four minute mark, the doom returns more intense before fading out. The next two tracks make up
"Deep Dark Ocean", parts 1 and 2 respectively. The first part is the shorter of the two and the more atmospheric one. The music is cleaner than the previous tracks with the bulk of the heaviness coming from the vocals, at least in the beginning part. After a brief but well done ambient/melodic mid section, suspense keyboards light up the landscape while the death growls roll over them. It all culminates near the end when the guitars kick into high gear. The second part is over two minutes longer and more distortion based---this one is nearly the opposite of the previous track. I mean, it is still atmospheric but definitely more chaotic as well. The last few minutes are hellish, a suffocating brew of death doom destruction. 

     "As Pazuzu Rises," is an interesting track of melodic, Gothic textures that provide a nice backdrop for the growls, which only seem to get better and more ferocious as the album continues. I like the methodically placed guitar riffs in the second half and the lead guitar which seems to have a life of its own but still feels like it needs to be in the song. 

     The final track is "Darkness At The End Of The Tunnel," is immediately huge in scope. Although not fast by any means, the groove and cadence of this track is paced a little quicker than the previous tracks, making for a rousing ending to the album. The keys, especially in the later half of the song give it a black metal feel to the song but the vocals give it a much needed power boost into raw and bleak territory. Anthems Of Isolation's "Apocalyptic Portrayals," is an uniquely styled funeral doom album that is sure to find a receptive audience. Funeral heads will undoubtedly want to add this to their collection but I think people who normally shy away from some of the genre's more niche elements will find this album enjoyable as well.

White Mare - Isle Of Bliss

    White Mare is a death/doom metal band from Switzerland/Netherlands that formed in 2019.  "Isle Of Bliss" is their debut full length album.  And what a a debut it is!  This is the kind of doom that I crave: long songs, ultra slow, and full of the kind of dismal atmosphere that would make a funeral seem festive by comparison.

    Elements other than death metal also include a blackened sound, particular with some of the higher pitched growls/screams.As previously stated, the music is at a crawling pace but it never lulls and is made infinitly interesting by the tone and vibe of each of the songs.  Lush, layered textures permeate throughout the album, the songs having no true form.  I actually really love this aspect because it gives the album an wide open, fluid feel.  When it comes to doom, this helps offset the lack of speed or intensity.  

    The album opens with "No Isle Of Bliss,'' and that long note that holds until clean textures arrive signify the bleak properties the song offers for the twelve minutes of its journey.  I love this kind of music so the long build up didn't bother me and, if anything, it grabbed my attention because I wanted to see how the song continues to unfold.  It unraveled itself like the birth of some dark universe: beginning with ambient noises and creating something sinister yet full of life as the pieces are fit together. 

    Around the two and a half minute mark, the crushing guitar and vocals finally arrive---their abrasiveness goes well with the more languishing elements of the music.  The bass is very audible and can go from dense to melodic when it needs to, controlling the ebb and flow of the song while also working with the drums as a strong foundation for all this crushing weight.

     "Time, The Devourer," is one of my favorites on the album.  The keys that creating a sorrow coated shroud in the beginning seconds are simple but so stark and commanding.  This song is more immediate, the vocals more present and vicious.  The guitars are also more riff based but they play alongside the rest of the band for a super thick layer of doom.  Clean vocals, which are filtered and far away as if it reaching across another plane of existence, are both well placed and well done.  Around the seven minute mark, the band speeds things up ever so slightly with just enough of a slow groove to add to the song's blossoming flow.

    "Les Oiseaux De Proie," fills up the space nicely, with clean guitar notes and heavier aspect quickly merging together.  The keyboards are very clever, small drops of atmosphere that drip across this massive canvas.  The blackened death vocals are especially terrifying but help push the song into a melodc/gothic section that is just beautiful in its own dark way.  

    The song's mid section is also very moving, what with the keys and guitars vocals providing a contrast to each other yet both still go along with the essence of the song.  The tragic, ambient atmosphere that comes later perfectly sets up the rest of the song as well.  

    The band returns to more riff based waters with "To Reset At Last," and the moment the song begins, guitars set up a funeral tapestry of bleak art.  The riffs are hammer heavy and provide the perfect back drop for the extreme vocals, which gives way to the rising action of the song.  The last couple minutes mix all these songs plus clean vocals together for a strong finish. 

    The final track is "The White Mares' Procession," and the song is about as depressing as the title would suggest.  The first two and a half minutes or so is build up of simple but darkly melodic tones.  When the full sound comes in, the song becomes one of the more denser ones on the album---just encompassing and fills up the space around me until I was totally absorbed by the song.  

    All in all, this is a strikingly great debut album from a band that already has a strong grasp on the style of music they want to play.  Anyone who enjoys music with great depth and even greater blackness needs to get on this one.  One of the best doom album's I've heard in this style this year.