It was just a month or so ago whilst doing some high level procrastination (rearranging my CD collection) I happened upon my copy of Shattered Hope’s excellent debut album ‘Absence’ and I wondered what had happened to them since. Clearly this was some sort of mystical sign and sure enough within the week their second album arrived on my desk. ‘Absence’ was one of my favourite debut albums of all time, managing to strike a subtle balance between the bleak and the beautiful. Even the album artwork provided an accurate portrayal of the musical style within, as a lighthouse struggles to penetrate the darkness and the fog, offering the faintest light as a beacon of hope. If the cover of ‘Waters of Lethe’ was going to be anything to go by, this was going to be an even darker experience as the cover is almost unreadable through the murk and gloom. This is clearly not going to be a comfortable ride.
The funereal pace of ‘Absence’ was offset by the dramatic synth and strings elements, which although bleak in their tone and nature, offered hope amidst hopelessness. On ‘Waters of Lethe’ hope is notable by its absence. The songs are longer, slower and bleaker but by way of natural evolution of their style rather than an attempt to lower the tone. The vocals of Nick Vlachakis were impressive before, yet he has found new depths here as he sings from the very depths of the abyss, and although his style rarely shifts on this album it is the subtle nuances that he offers that make the difference. In that respect they have really reached a similar level on this album that Mourning Beloveth have been working at for some time, and I say that as high praise. As crushing as the music is, there is an intrinsic beauty about it. There are melodies that get under your skin and into your soul where the sadness and melancholy seeps throughout you like a disease. Part of you is laying back listening to it, enjoying and appreciating the mastery of the form, whilst part of you is looking up the web address for Exit.
As on the previous album, this one also ends with an 18 minute epic, although in this case it feels like a funeral march to the end rather than the downbeat but uplifting beauty of ‘The Utter Void’. This is in many ways a total triumph, but I would urge caution. This is not for funeral doom novices and those suffering from depression should perhaps listen with friends. I am all for bands giving value for money on their albums, but with ‘Waters of Lethe’ clocking it at the 80 minute mark there is a serious trade-off between the amount of music you are getting for your money and the psychological toll it takes on you. For those with a predilection for this style of music, this is an excellent and at times very beautiful album, but it is best enjoyed by the very patient and the emotionally stable.
(8/10 Lee Kimber)
Leave a Reply