Umbersound - If The Flies Could Sing

Umbersound is a doom metal band from New York, who hit the scene just a few years ago in 2022 with its debut EP “Sense of Place.”  The band, which is actually a one-man project from Grey Skies Fallen guitarist Joe D’Angelo, has wasted little time and is now releasing their second full-length album, “If The Flies Could Sing.” 

Joe and the rest of his band mates in Grey Skies Fallen released one of best doom albums last year with “Molded By Broken Hands.”  

So did Joe work his magic again, this time on his own? Hell yes, he did. Was there ever any doubt? 

This album has provided me with a lot of enjoyment.  The cover art is chilling with a message and just disturbing enough to still be grounded in bitter reality. I'd say this is a good way to describe this album.

This is definitely a doom album but it's approach is quite varied and dynamic. The songs can be crushing, brutal, straightforward and even atmospheric. 

It's a cohesive album with a stellar flow but every song does differ from each other and offers something new.

Joe's vocals are stunning. At times he has a sort of actorly, theatrical way with his clean vocals.  It's highly expressive and a little maddening—honestly, it reminds me of Warrel Dane!  He does use growls on occasion, which sound fantastic as well. I wish he used them more but it's hard to complain with the great performance he does give.

Fortunately, he is adept with the instruments as he is guitar. He offers a well rounded performance with a keen understanding of what each song needs but also make sure it threads together as a whole. 

"Wolves At The Door,” opens the album, an audio representation of the album artwork visualizes. 

There is a deadly, stalking feel through the album with a hefty dose of infectious but nervous energy. Indeed, the song (and the album in general) gives the feeling of being against the world with your back against the wall.

The song begins with a strong metallic crunch laced my melancholic tones.  The styles fit together like bread and butter as the drums ramp up the aggression. 

The vocals are catchy in their cadence and rhythm, cleans and shouting working as one to push the song to touring heights.

The title track is a very interesting song. It has a lot of depth with its simple but deep, dark, and bleak tones. It's a more minimalistic approach but it's heavy horror laced atmopshere and uses liminal spaces well. Plus, it shows off Joe's vocals. Fantastic song!

“The Circle Maze,” has some of the best riffs on the album but the bass tone and drums go along way in adding a sharp effective tone. The vocals are powerful, scaring high above the riffs even while they act as another layer to the song.

The leads on “Deaths Old Sweet Song,” add a rustic yet majestic vibe before the song gives way to subtle rhythms and clever drums.

I really like the somber tone, makes a fine comparable element to the lower, somewhat Gothic vocals. 

This is a song that's heavy but in a way that's more than just guitars—this one really dug into me with its subtle but engaging pacing.

The instrumental song, “I Zoí Sou, Mia Tragodía,” is another late album highlight.  This has a stark feel to it, the way the clean and heavier tones sort of dance around each other. The guitar leads are particularly well-written and do a fantastic job in bridging the song from moment to moment. 

Umbersound is a different approach than I typically hear in doom but that's a great thing, I've no doubt.  “If The Flies Could Sing,” explores a lot of unqiue perspectives and showcases Joe's talent to pull them off with engaging songs. 

Rating:  Excellent