Make no mistake, Autumnal angst and anguish are definitely setting in. Looking at what is left on the review list in front of me, there is one constant and it sure ain’t happiness. So I first turn to Rome a city of light and shadows where quartet Invernoir dwell. This is their second album and follow up to 2020 release, the descriptively entitled ‘The Void and the Unbearable Loss.’ A look at the track titles on ‘Aimin’ For Oblivion’ makes it quite clear that nobody is going to be picking this slab of moroseness by accident; ‘Doomed,’ ‘Broken,’ ‘Unworthy’ and ‘Useless’ are among the eight we have on offer here.

This is doom of the atmospheric type and with a shimmering surface of gothic etched noir about it. Heft and weight are balanced well along with emotions of frailty and the brooding heavy toll of opener ‘Shadow Slave’ sets us up for an expressive ¾ of an hour ride of soul-bearing and honest music. Vocalist Alessandro Sforza not only handles half the guitar duties and keyboards but also provides plenty of styles to contrast the emotions. We get low hoary growls, high indignant screams and clean harmonic lines, all perfectly balanced and counterpoised. The instruments too have plenty of “voice.” The solo guitar work at the end of this track is particularly noteworthy as it flails away practically screaming for attention. Flamboyant for sure but also expertly rendered. The stomping drums and thick bass lines of ‘Doomed’ carry heaviness but there is also light due to the clean vocals of the chorus, shifting to rage and anger then glistening acoustic parts all at the drop of a hat. Add some more blazing lead guitar and a sombre keyboard melody at closure and there’s certainly plenty packed into just this one enthralling number.

During the journey you will encounter well-loved stylistic tropes from the normal subjects, it’s part of the territory and acknowledged by the short press statement accompanying the album. Be it Paradise Lost, Katatonia or whomsoever, Invernoir capture the energy of the bands in their heyday and embellish things with enough substance of their own to make this a possible future classic itself. You can’t take anything particularly for granted either just as I start thinking ‘Forgotten In Time’ is the nostalgic ballad of the album it about shifts dropping an anchor of heavy ballast and formidable vocal roars into the mix. I keep changing mind about favourite track here too but ‘Few Minutes’ with chugging riffs and clean, beseeching vocals, harsh roars and yells is certainly a contender and the album has no problem engaging attention throughout. Essentially this is a classy album and despite style and subject matter has been a highly enjoyable one to spend time with. If “oblivion” was the target, Invernoir have hit it dead centre here.

(8/10 Pete Woods)

https://www.facebook.com/invernoir

https://invernoir-band.bandcamp.com/album/aimin-for-oblivion