Entry 106 - Draconinan - Under a Godless Veil

 

Draconian... now that is a name I haven't heard in many years. Despite my earlier posts about Arcane Rain Fell and Where Lovers Mourn, prior to picking all three of these albums up in an order a few months ago I had not heard Draconian for nearly a decade.

A lot has happened since Arcane Rain Fell, the last album that I heard from the band. Nearly 15 years passed between that album and Under a Godless Veil. While I can't speak for the albums in between, this current album sees the band firing on all cylinders.

The music is slow and brooding. Dark and mournful. Combinations I'm a huge sucker for. The female vocals are light and ethereal, contrasted by gruff death vox from the male singer. The contrast is excellent and is a core tenant of the music.

The songs show a lot of dynamics as well, with some being heavier than a freight train. With others its nearly ambient in its approach. To put it simply this album ticks almost every box for me with this style.

Is this going to be an earth shattering album? Not in the slightest. What Under a Godless Veil does offer though is a meaty slice of doom/death steeped in gothic goodness.

Some albums don't try anything outside of the confines of the genre, but they do it so well that they demand your attention. Under a Godless Veil is a shining example of how that is done correctly.