In Vespro - Where Silence Used to Sleep

In Vespro is a Roman, Italy based melodic death/doom band.  I couldn’t find much information about them online so I’m not sure when they formed but “Where Silence Used to Sleep,” is their debut album.  It features members of Svart Vinter, Veil of Conspiracy, and Handful of Hate.  That’s a damn fine pedigree right there so I was expecting this album to be worthy of my time (and yours) before I even pushed played.

I was not disappointed.  If anything, my expectations were exceeded.  Their sound is very longing and full yearning.  I’m definitely getting 90’s melodic/Gothic death doom vibes from “Where Silence Used to Sleep” and that’s nothing but a good thing.  

The melodies really speak for themselves, but I’ll do my best to speak on them.  These textures aren’t Gothenburg melodic nor are they from the 00’s metalcore scene, where the songs tried their best to be heavy yet came off sounding like discount MDM bands a lot of the time. No, this isn’t something else.  Something grand.

This is more like Saturnus or even Insomnium; the melodies, harmonies, and just the epicness in general, is more subtle and downtrodden than in your face explosive.  Considering this is doom, I can’t think of any reason it shouldn’t take this path.  Each song sounds very natural, with an even and smooth flow, despite the somber and destitute atmosphere.  

The album has nine songs with a runtime over just over 40 minutes.  That is somewhat of a ‘short’ to ‘average’ length for doom and none of the songs reach the 6-minute mark.  I’m fine with these notions.  I love long winded, two-minute-long intro based doom as much as the next person. That doesn’t mean EVERY doom metal band has to take that route.  Sometimes I just want an album I can pick up and play.  “Where Silence Used to Sleep” is such an album.  I’m not saying it is mainstream or easily accessible, but every song is good.  

Although each song certainly has its own identity and reasons to return, you really can just press play and listen straight through and be guaranteed an immensely enjoyable ride.  On the flipside, putting it on random or listening to the songs on a piecemeal basis is also going to work.  This is a testament to the band’s songwriting skills for sure. On top of all that, all the songs are catchy with memorable moments.  This isn’t a one and done album, but it is one that is well worth jamming multiple times.  

The first track, “Fading Hallow,” begins with the cloudy coverage of clean tones before a well-balanced melodic riff and steady drumbeat starts the doom off on a steady flow of melancholic goodness.  By the time the wonderfully well-done death growls enter the fray, your head will already be nodding to the simple but effective doom.   This song, and album as a whole, isn’t super flow but nor is it going to win any speed races.  If anything, it plays at just the right tempo without leaning too far into either side. 

The title track instantly recalls My Dying Bride, what with its twin guitar attack and roaring growls.  The slow, somber tempo is accented at just the right time with the bass guitar and drums providing a complimentary rhythm to the guitars.  I love the swirling of the lead guitar around the rest of the instruments in the verses while the growls go to screams—intense stuff yet beautiful in its own way.  The Gothic textures hit hard after the 2:15 mark, especially with the double bass ramping up the energy, which lets the guitars continue to ring out with their signature sadness. 

“A Quiet End,” is anything but.  The bass stands out very well here and the melodies have a real weight to them.  I’m equally impressed with the way the lead guitar steers the structure of the song by ramping up the energy little by little, helped by the drums.  It’s subtle and ever so slightly changing things but this careful attention to the details is what makes the song so great. 

“The Last Light,” is the shortest song on here at ‘just’ 3 minutes and 12 seconds but the time is used well.  This is one of the more catchy tunes—the opening guitars will definitely grab you and if it doesn’t, then well you just might be dead.   These riffs are dense at times, offering a solid jumping board for the more depressive moments to naturally spring from. 

The final song, “Everfall,” is my favorite on the album.  The drum work is utterly fantastic, the way it moves over the slow opening is yet another moment that buried its way into my head.  Everything this song does is with a purpose—and it’s surprisingly urgent, due to the simple but rising harmony of the guitars pairing with the clawing death growl/screams.    The clean vocals are tastefully done and quite emotive while fitting the song perfectly. 

In Vespro is a band that seemingly came out of nowhere, but they have already left an impression on me with this stunning debut album “Where Silence Used to Sleep.”  Any fan of the heyday of doom in the 90’s needs to get on this.  It’s also a good place to start for people new to the genre. 

Rating:  Great