Band: The Foreshadowing
Title: Oionos
Label: Cyclone Empire
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: 02-04/2010
Review: CD

The Rome-based band The Foreshadowing was formed about five years ago by former Klimt 1918/ Spiritual Front/ Dope Stars Inc. guitar player Alessandro Pace. Soon he got joined by Spiritual Front colleague Francesco Sosto (k), Klimt 1918 colleague Davide Pesola (b), Grimness members Jonah Padella (d) and Andrea Chiodetti (g), and singer Marco Benevento from How Like A Winter. In 2006, this line-up recorded The Foreshadowing’s debut full length, Days Of Nothing, which got released through Candlelight Records in 2007.

In 2008, the band started writing and recording for the second studio full length, registrated again at the famous Outer Sound Studio with Novembre frontman Giuseppe Orlando (VII Arcano, Klimt 1918, Ensoph, Stormlord, Grimness etc – recording + mix), and mastered at Finnvox by Mika Jussila (Depressed Mode, Shape Of Despair, Finntroll, Soulfallen, Nightwish and many, many others), and with artwork by Septic Flesh’s Seth Siro Anton (Heaven Shall Burn, Moonspell, Paradise Lost, Exodus, Vader etc).

Oionos is a dark-spirited Doom-album with a melancholic and mournful atmosphere, yet also lots of obscure and down-earthed emotions. Several times the slow and melodic hymns remind me to My Dying Bride throughout the years. Yes, details from the early years (yet without the Death Metal-elements), the The Angel … / Like Gods …-era, as well as the last decennium are audible from time to time. But this doesn’t mean that The Foreshadowing are musical thieves. No, this band adds its own character, and it’s a nice one, this character. The Foreshadowing dare to experiment, not in a progressive way, nor through injecting elements from related genres, nor do they make use of additional things like, let’s say, female vocals, Gothic orchestrations or poppy ballads. Their experimentation has to do with creating True Doom with varying and convincing compositions – and varying means varying. In spite of the chilly atmosphere, which remains whole the time, each track breathes its own misty sorrow. Some parts are heavier and epic, others more integer or veiled in sadness and despair, and even the socio-critical Sting cover “Russians” never sounded as painful and beautiful at the same time. Marco’s vocals need to be mentioned too. He doesn’t sound like any (well-known) Doom-vocalist at all. On the contrary, Marco has a warm voice, searching for well-balanced perfection in both presence and variation.

Oionos is not the usual Doom-album you might expect; it is a unique and highly recommendable piece of Dark Doom Art for everyone who prefers it the grim way.

88/100

Ivan Tibos.