If you read my entries with any regularity you'll know that I like the phrase "I'm a sucker for..." and I'll proceed to describe something I like. Well this weeks edition of I'm a sucker for goes to blackened doom metal.
I love the combination of the tortured black metal vocals and tremolo picking with the speed of doom metal... or better yet funeral doom. The combination of melancholy and absolute loss of hope that the two genres provide work exceedingly well together.
Mournful Dawn play said blackened doom. Outside of adding in a healthy dose of melody through the use of dueling guitar melodies the band plays pretty standard doom metal. What makes them interesting is the interplay of the guitars.
Often they not only use several competing melodies, but they also use a wall of sound approach on the rhythm guitar. This often leads to three or more guitar tracks being played at any given moment (not including the bass).
I love intricate music, and Mournful Dawn do just that. Even though the individual parts may not be complex, when you layer three to five guitars together, add a choir, and shrieking vocals, and a completely oppressive atmosphere eventually it starts adding up. These songs are very involved and extremely satisfying to listen to.
On For the Fallen... Mournful Dawn have hit on a style that is both accessible through the liberal use of melodies. They have also hit on a style that is deep and complex for those who want to dissect the music into its base components. Either way, this album is a great spin.
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