‘Unlit’ is full-length début by the Hamburg based German quintet Crimson Swan. Their blend of doom-death and funeral doom has all the power and melody that you’d want, as the oppressive atmosphere ploughs its way to your very core while gently caressing your ears with whimsical clean vocals and haunting keyboards.
The whispering wind, sounds of gentle waves crashing on a beach and lightly tickled piano keys are joined by strong but gentle guitar and Simon’s clean vocals as “Fade To Nothingness” works its way towards heavier guitars and his low death growl. Martin’s drumming ranges from delicate tapping on the cymbals to pounding on the snare and toms as the song ebbs and flows between minimalism and cacophony.
Robert and Simon’s twin guitar harmonies on “A Waterfall Of Sorrow” remind me a little of My Dying Bride, and that’s no mean feat considering they aren’t just copying their sound at all but rather just the feel. Simon’s long drawn out growls over the sustained guitar notes are punctuated by resounding snare strikes before the pace picks up a little with Jakob’s bass rumbling in time to the drums as the guitars increase their ferocity without altering their harmonious rhythm.
There are some glorious female vocals on “Words Of Perdition” by Imanthi Gräflich Monard which add to the overall gloom of the song as Marcos tinkers on his keyboard making it truly grämlich, especially during the whispered vocal and intimate lead solos.
The title track “Unlit” is a quiet, poetic recital at first before becoming a little more vociferous as the guitars flourish and ooze their way forwards to heavily distorted riffing, albeit without losing any melody. There’s even a brief section where the drums are almost blasting, before dying back down a plodding pace.
“Accusations” on the other hand has an eerie levity to it with its single string picking and light hearted piano tune which becomes single keyboard and slowly changing distorted guitar riffs while the vocals alternate between clean, death and raspy growls.
Final track “Voidhaven” could have easily been used as a soundscape for ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, well until the deathly slow guitar and vocals make an appearance that is, but at the same time I could picture space ships tumbling around each other while listening to this a lot easier than when listening to the “Blue Danube” but that just be me. It ends on a melodramatic piano piece to the sound of falling rain. Beautiful, to say the least.
All the songs are 8 minutes or longer and I can’t say they would do themselves any justice were they any shorter as they have too many movements they need to work through as they meander along. Great stuff to listen to on a gloomy overcast day.
(8/10 Marco Gaminara)
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