I’ve yet to decide if the guys at Solitude Productions are a miserable bunch of bastards, or built with a psyche that is stronger than tempered steel. They’ve been responsible for releasing some of the most cripplingly bleak, depression inducing albums for a decade now, and don’t show any sign of letting up any time soon. Woe Unto Me are yet another excellent addition to their roster, fitting right in with the label’s inexorably mournful outlook.
Upon noting that Woe Unto Me are from Belarus (a country, similarly to Russia and Ukraine who are becoming a regular byword for excellently miserable music) and that they purportedly play extreme doom, I had high hopes that this would be a winner due to Solitude’s generally high standards and levels of quality, even with a generally unknown band appearing seemingly from nowhere. Opening with a gently floating synth piece, clean guitar meandering through minor progressions and a general air of unease, you soon feel the warmth drain from the room, the colour sap from your vision and your facial muscles falling lead-like into a twisted grimace once the distorted guitars shudder into earshot amid torturous growls. With that said however, it’s not as extreme or utterly soul destroying as I have heard before, in fact there is a good dose of melody in the music and the vocals (there is cleanly sung male and female vocals about as much as the despondent growling), which definitely adds a touch of soothing balm to the damaged soul that is its growling counterpoint of crushing hopelessness.
This album has bags of atmosphere, which at its heaviest points reminds me pleasantly of Skepticism, but perhaps it is fellow Finns Colosseum who share the most in common in terms of sheer soundscapes. Sorrowful piano, procession-like guitars puncturing the darkness with blasts of devastating distortion, or jangling the nerves like a nightmarish windchime, they continually push through with a powerful vision and intent. There are some sublime touches throughout the album – most worthy of noting; the sound of rainfall interspersed with the music at the end of ‘The Gospel Reading’ is a stroke of genius, and album closer ‘Angels to Die’ pretty much as a whole is a 14 minute masterclass in extreme doom.
Fans of doom/death or funeral doom will undoubtedly find a lot to like here, whilst simultaneously getting their fix of melody and not being totally overwhelmed with excruciating grief. It’s not a shockingly outlandish release, nor is it brimming with originality; but does have a charm and earthiness which shines through the murk.
(7.5/10 Lars Christiansen)
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