| Withersoul (CD Demo) | 2004 | Oak Knoll Productions |
Also the first forty seconds of the following track are absolutely engaging: brilliant melodic guitar work -excellently produced as in the rest of the album- and a deep grunt set the tone, making us believe that we are about to be treated on some extreme doom of the highest quality. Unfortunately this is only partly true. Enter the female vocals.
Now I must admit that I'm not fond of the way female vocals are used in about 95% of all metal releases and this is unfortunately one of the cases where they stand in the way of the compositions rather than adding to them. They are comparable to those of The River, but although there they seem to work very well, here they rather distract from an otherwise perfect whole. The vocal lines are not that special and here and there the bad demon of doom metal (out of tune singing) rears its ugly head.
Fortunately the grunts/screams that accompany them work much better and add a more acceptable (read: not cringe inducing) element of agony to the demo. Perhaps the whole would have worked better if they were used more often and the female voice was mostly used as a background instrument (as it happens on some sections of this demo, and it works very well).
As it stands, this remains a brilliant, very promising demo. Although the funeral pace appears to be only sporadic, the faster parts and occasional brutal outbursts work really well and there is even a staggering guitar solo at the end of 'Forever, I will burn' courtesy of Corey Smoot of Gwar who also produced this album. It is definitely worth to download the free tracks on their soundclick page and make up your mind about them. Personally, I think that if they balance out the grunt/female vocals better, they will be soon a force to be reckoned with in the doom scene.
1. A Dirge For the Forsaken (intro)
2. Now Yours…
3. Forever, I Will Burn
4. Exasperation's Tears
Approx. 32 minutes
| Shroud Of Bereavement / Withersoul Split (CD) | 2006 | Oak Knoll |
Shroud of Bereavement begins the morose festivities, offering the listener two songs that threaten to overwhelm with the sheer dark grandeur of classically inspired Death/Doom. Shroud of Bereavement eschews convention with the employment of genuine stringed instruments, delegating the traditionally favored keyboard's role to one of ambience. The resulting sound is depressively baroque, and may draw comparisons to early era Theatre of Tragedy and Morgion. Such flawless orchestration is often absent from many modern releases, and is truly refreshing.
'A Maddening Hue' is a reworked version of 'I Cry', a song intially realized in the band's formative years and included in 2005's' ...Of Ages'. This newer version is a testament to Shroud Of Bereavement's musical maturity and increased artistry. Slowly picked acoustic guitars create a droning folk-wash to set the track's tone, and is slowly joined by a seductive chorus of female voices set against an increasingly prominent assortment of strings. Death Metal vocals are soon generously employed, as are heavily distorted guitars. The slow crawl towards the song's majestic climax are both satisfying and fittingly torturous.
Opting for a more straightfoward approach, '...And Their Tears Shall Flood The Earth' begins with a resonant piano composition before quickly falling to a chugging gothic blast of crushing guitars, strings, and a much more prominent keyboard. This is easily the more ferocious of the collective songs, and finds the guitarwork exhibiting shades of technicality alongside sharpened rhythmic sensibilities. Vocals, both male and their angelic female counterparts, seem darker and edgy. This works in harmony with the strident fluidity of the song, and will be appreciated fervently by advocates of the more extreme.
Withersoul musically provide Shroud Of Bereavement with a nearly defectless compliment, as both bands share a few similarities in both lyrical theme and aural execution. Withersoul, however, is the more traditional of the two, describing their sound as "Monolithic Doom/Death Metal". Aggression is abundantly utilized, as well, evidenced by much faster tempos and more intricate guitarwork. Female vocals are also deployed, albeit much differently, taking a more powerful leading role while retaining a decidely organic quality. Withersoul's offering on this release is simply vigorous and pounding.
Withersoul's first track, 'Forever, I Will Burn', is a heavily gothic whiff of furnace dross, complete with swelling diminished chording and blasting drums. An interplay of Death vocals and female singing gives this song an element not unlike that of early Theatre Of Tragedy, though the utter speed of Withersoul's relentless assault quickly obliterates a true comparison. This track offers a very clear picture of Withersoul's technical ability, and exemplifies the harsher melodic elements so prevalent in Death/Doom. From the furiously employed palm mutes to the ethereal synth strings, 'Forever, I Will Burn' is a gothic tour-de-force.
Insidious Eastern-influenced melodies await the listener in 'Descent', Withersoul's second offering. The sheer melodic element of this track is overwhelmingly heartfelt - a prime requisite for memorable songs. Harmonized Egyptian scaling saturate this production, pausing periodically for a dark, muted rhythm. The vocal landscape of this song heavily favors the use of female oration, which blends seamlessly with the song's decidedly Gothic Metal focus. Death Metal vocals puncture the mix sporadically, as if to remind the listener an aggressive tempo change could be lurking around every corner.
'In Emptiness', Withersoul's third and final offering, begins with an ominous blackened screech that becomes quickly assimilated into a bleak landscape of guitar and heavily prominent keyboard. This section instantly conjured memories of The Sins Of Thy Beloved, which I regard as a favorable comparison. Without warning, the track suddenly veers into a piano interlude, joined slowly by drums, guitars, and stunning female vocals. Mellow yet intensely performed, the section moves finally into a NWOBHM-esque twin guitar harmony placed nicely against a near virtuosic display of piano ability. Quite the way to end an album! Shroud Of Bereavement and Withersoul certainly make their case here as premier acts within the small but potent US Doom scene. This release certainly has something for everyone, and may well be placed in the realm of classic albums for fans of Epic Doom Metal. Both bands make a hefty statement about the their future, which seems to be a quite fruitful one. With material like this, Shroud Of Bereavement and Withersoul assure us all they're just getting started.
Shroud Of Bereavement:
1. A Maddening Hue
2. And Their Tears Shall Flood The Earth
Withersoul:
3. Forever, I Will Burn
4. Descent
5. In Emptiness
Approx. 50 minutes