Resumption - The Respite

Resumption is a death/doom project from musician Wilhelm Lindh (The Gardnerz, ex-Tristitia, ex-Pandemonium, ex-Allamedah) that formed last year.  Wilhelm has wasted no time, already dropping Resumption’s full-length debut “The Respite.” 

According to the press release, the band aims to bridge the gap between death metal bands like Bolt Thrower and Broken Hope with the suffocating, slow atmosphere of Funeral. I’d say this is a pretty damn accurate description of the album and the band’s overall style.  

The production and mix has a real DIY feel but in a good way.  The raw (ish), gravely sound works perfect for the type of doom this is—this definitely doesn’t need a shiny, happy production job!  The mix is on point too—the bass stands out really well and an absolute bulldozer.  The vocals are exactly what the songs need and they sit up at the front of the mix without overtaking any one element.  

Wilhelm plays all the instruments, and I’d have to say he is a jack of all trades.  There isn’t anything technical or complicated about this album—nor is there supposed to be.  This is a love letter to death/doom that honors the foundations of the genre.  Wilhelm is goddamn good at this and can definitely write engaging songs and that is all he needs to do.  You want something else?  Then go somewhere else.  This. Is. Death. Doom.

Of course, the focus is on the riffs and their tone.  And the tone across this album is pure evil, born of a hellish grit and played with an uncanny guile.  An album of this style is only as good as its riffs—-it is safe to say this album is damn good then because there are an absolute ton of them.  I lost count of the number of headbanging moments I encountered; the press release also said Wilhelm is putting together a live band to play these songs and if that happens….oh boy, hell itself is going to open up in that pit.

The album opens with “Self-Reliance,” and it sets the tone for the entire album.  The guitar riffs are slow, deep, massive and filled with a metric ton of GROOVE.  This really does sound like a much slower Bolt Thrower in a lot of ways, and I am right here for it.  I love the growls, whose deepness matches the depths of the guitars and bass.   This song has just enough melody to highlight the heavier parts, without taking away from them. 

A classic sounding cymbal attack opens up “Worship” as the riffs begin to build up with urgency, and a sense of stalking death.   I like how the lead guitar is used to generate a simple but effective counter measure to the riffs….it helps push the song forward but with a subtle pace so the song doesn’t feel too rushed. After the minute and half mark, the guitars and bass show how crushing this album can truly be.  The tempo picks up slightly with the riffs growing in ferocity in the second half.  

The album remains consistent throughout too.  “Rest At Last,” kicks off the second half of the album and it is a total groove fest.  The band’s death metal elements come out in play here but there is also a surprisingly emotional guitar solo, so the band sort of goes with the flow—and makes it work in their favor.  Another solo pops out near the end and the melodic bass behind it is just as ear catching.  Doom can be solemn, crushing, and surprising all at once, as this song is proof. 

“Everything Rots Away,” has a sort of hardcore energy to it with its punchy riffs and upbeat drums.  The song soon slides back into doom, like an avalanche coming off a mountain to crush all below.   The song speeds up again in the mid-section, quickly building momentum then dropping the hammer once more.

Resumption’s “The Respite,” is a solid death/doom album from a project/band that has managed to put together an engaging debut.  Hopefully this is just the beginning. 

Rating: Solid