THE 11TH HOUR
Where doom usually wallows in dark, depressive tones and extended passages that can tend towards the seemingly endless and the vacantly directionless, Ed Warby’s compositions on ‘Lacrima Mortis’ are phenomenal. Because of the narrative that guides the piece, the dark depression and the extended passages have purpose and direction, each moment anchored and enhanced by Warby’s vision. ‘We All Die Alone’ opens with gothic-tainted keys that segue into deceptively simple yet very moving riffs. Juxtaposing Warby’s clean melodic vocal with Blankenstein’s harsh vocals, the track becomes intensely dramatic, the yearning in the line “Let me die” becoming increasingly potent as the track proceeds. Tracks such as ‘The Death Of Life’ and ‘Tears Of The Bereaved’ bear the same emotional weight with similar hefty riffs and keyboards to tint the tracks with the subtlety of silent mourning. Where ‘Rain On Me’ remains closer to death metal, ‘Reunion Illusion’ is melodically melancholic and emotionally stirring, and both tracks sit across from each other as opposing ends of ‘Lacrima Mortis’ spectrum. ‘Nothing But Pain’ integrates violins and keys into the devastating death-laden doomy atmosphere of this epic track. And closing the plaintive narrative is ‘Bury Me’, a track awash in sorrowful melodies and harmonies in both the vocal and guitar lines, the juxtaposition of clean and harsh vocals working to great effect to draw the melancholic and emotive album to a fitting close.
An atypical doom album, it may take a while for doom purists to accept it, but continued spins open up deeper dimensions to the album and the musical potential explored by Warby within the genre has a broad appeal. The expression in the vocals, the music, and the lyrics makes this album feel personal and so much more penetrating. With the clean almost operatic vocals balanced with the harsh vocals of Blankenstein, the melodic, emotive, clean passages juxtaposed with the heavy doom and the savage death metal elements, and the successful combination of the variety in instrumentation, ‘Lacrima Mortis’ is an impressive and highly accomplished album. Highly recommended.
An atypical doom album, it may take a while for doom purists to accept it, but continued spins open up deeper dimensions to the album and the musical potential explored by Warby within the genre has a broad appeal. The expression in the vocals, the music, and the lyrics makes this album feel personal and so much more penetrating. With the clean almost operatic vocals balanced with the harsh vocals of Blankenstein, the melodic, emotive, clean passages juxtaposed with the heavy doom and the savage death metal elements, and the successful combination of the variety in instrumentation, ‘Lacrima Mortis’ is an impressive and highly accomplished album. Highly recommended.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Napalm Records
Album
LACRIMA MORTIS
Review by Jason Guest
RUNNING TIME:
52:17
RELEASE DATE:
27th Jan 2012
TRACK LISTING
1) We All Die Alone
2) Rain On Me
3) The Death of Live
4) Tears of the Bereaved
5) Reunion Illusion
6) Nothing But Pain
7) Bury Me
2) Rain On Me
3) The Death of Live
4) Tears of the Bereaved
5) Reunion Illusion
6) Nothing But Pain
7) Bury Me
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Netherlands
"...an impressive and highly accomplished album."
