| CD REVIEW Doom:vs |
 |
|
Band: Doom:vs Johan Ericson is a very talented musician. Earlier this year, Turning Season Within was released, an album by his main band Draconian (Gothic-oriented Doom). He also started a new formation last year, together with some Draconian-colleagues, which is called Shadowgarden (Gothic Rock / Metal) and this Dead Words Speak is the new full length by his solo project Doom:vs. In July 2006, the debut album Aeternum Vale was released through Firedoom and got positive reviews from the Doom-press. Dead Words Speak goes on in the vein of that debut album. The six tracks last for over fifty minutes and combine different Doom-related Metal styles. Without losing its nocturnal raison d’être, Doom:vs mix Funeral Doom with elements from Doom-Death and some Traditional Doom-influences. This combination is a dared one, but Johan succeeds to provide the whole album with the same cold, obscure sound, and the same darkening, suicidal atmosphere. His deep, low grunts fit perfectly to the abysmal hymns, and the few melodic vocals come in perfect symbiosis with the grim spheres. Because of the variety and the splendid compositions, the long songs can keep my interest and attention. Consider this droning release an epic masterpiece that combines the better elements of, for example, Evoken, Mourning Beloveth, My Dying Bride, Unholy, Shape Of Despair, Colosseum, Necare and, of course, Draconian from time to time. Dead Words Speak certainly is one of the best Doom-releases from 2008, in spite of the massive amounts of Doom-recordings lately. 90/100 Ivan Tibos. |