Customer Reviews

Shrouded Divine

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I know nothing of In Mourning's previous offerings, but I'm glad this is the style they chose. As mentioned by all reviewers for their 2 cds here on Amazon, it is brutaly clear that they love Opeth and take a huge influence from them. Much of the material has a very derivative writing style from their Blackwater-Deliverence era production particularly. Is this bad? Heck no. They don't copy but instead make it part of their own style.

Their songwriting style is much more direct than Opeth and doesn't include many acoustic or clean guitar sections, but I was astounded when I listened to the first song by their sensibility and uncanny ability to make everything flow so perfectly. It starts out with some somewhat unique palm-muted chugging, head's a bit into thrash territory and then breaks in a wonderfully melodic and fitting chorus. Soon after it takes off into one of their more "Opeth-inspired" riffs and some great interplay between the guitar and drums and then heads right back into the chorus of the song as if it were meant to be that way. If there is one major aspect of Opeth's writing they take away, it is making cohesive and sensible music. These songs have so many riffs, bridges, and breaks but they're never just "head-banging breakdowns" or something utterly pointless like you might find in a hardcore/metalcore band. There are even some well sung sections on this cd which makes me think their ultimate goal is to go the same route as Opeth; combine the brutal and beautiful dynamics of metal music into a perfect whole.

The guitarists are very skilled writers as well as players. There really aren't any solos, but this is one of the few albums out there that I think would be ruined by having had them. Each song is a musical journey, not an exercise in virtuoso musicianship. This also brings me to their drummer who is exceptionally capable. He is creative and does not ever overplay. There are 2 songs where he plays a typical thrash tempo and hits some blast for the last bar or so and I've almost never heard a drummer do it so fluidly. He doesn't add the blasts to show off, but simply inserts them as a type of fill at the last bar of a riff and the effect is quite noticable and greatly increases the fluidity of the music. He knows how and when to use ride cymbals, splashs, and fills to the songs advantage, not his own. I'm very impressed with his ability to add to the music overall.

This cd doesn't have any filler either, which in itself is amazing. I couldn't find one song I didn't really enjoy or say "Wow!" when I first heard it, and trust me, I really tried to. I'm not likelly to be taking this cd out of my player any time soon and can't wait to get their newest one. It's such a dynamic change in direction from most melodic death/progressive metal bands out there.

If you love Opeth, buy this cd now, honestly. It's essentially Opeth meets Scar Symmetry or a more straight forward Melodic Death Band, but with production values and creativity beyond what you'll find almost anywhere in the genre.

For a debut LP, 'In Shrouded Divine' is a very good one, which is very surprising these days. Crystal clear production, intricate compositions, well mixed vocals and an overall cohesive sound vision are things that most bands can only hope to achieve on their massive debut. Sure, In Mourning have a few releases prior to this, but this is their LP, and they shine like pros.

Evolution in art is a very iffy thing. It makes and breaks fan bases. In Mourning started out playing some kind of gothic metal crap, depressive doom-metal dirges that just didn't do it for me. 'In Shrouded Divine' sounds like a band with a new vision, a new direction, one that suits their talents well, Progressive Metal, albeit with traces of their past throughout. One cannot deny the Opeth flavor to the compositions, as its inevitable. From the droning guitar passages to the progressive rock breakdowns, it all screams of Opeth. Make no mistake, In Mourning certainly hold their own; they are very much a competent group, and their debut LP is a beast of an album, a very impressive one.

Progressive Metal, you know the blend that Opeth crafted and bought to full realization, is blended smoothly with Melodic Death Metal. The songs are epic and full of juicy riffs and clean breakdowns. For the most part, the songs on 'In Shrouded Divine' are composed in that wonderful heavy/clean formula known so well in the Progressive Metal genre, with more emphasis on the heavy. When the crushing riffs do give way to contemplative clean passages, and if you're as much as a prog metal geek as me, you'll squeal with glee at how awesome they sound. Mastering the changes from heavy to clean is a feat that many bands execute rather poorly, but In Mourning are in full control.

The bass guitar is very audible, something that I've noticed more bands opening up to. The guitar riffs are never dull, packed thick with sorrow, yet a fierce bite, and some truly beautiful soloing and clean soft breaks. As for the drums, they are a little better than average, serving mostly as a time-keeper during most of the recording, though completely outshining everyone else at rare points. The vocals are gutteral growls from the depths, a melodic death style even Mikael Akerfelt proud of, mixed with some occasional clean sung passages. While far and few between, the clean sung portions of the album are beautiful, making you wish there were more to relish in. 'In Shrouded Divine' is a great album, however you can feel the sense of restraint from the band, as if they are merely testing the waters at this point, waiting to unleash their mammoth Progressive Metal masterpiece later on.

Its hard not to be compared to metal Gods Opeth, especially if you happen to make music that sounds awfully influenced by them. Throughout the whole album I could hear many inferences to Opeth riffage and composition from the past, not that there is anything wrong with it, since almost every band that has ever recorded music has worn their influences on their sleeves.

In Mourning hold their ground however, proving that they are not a mere clone band, but a band with an awesome creative vision, some musical chops and hopefully more evolution in albums to come. 'In Shrouded Divine' is an awesome Progressive Metal/Melodic Death Metal mash up that works so well you will still be listening to it months after your first time.

I can understand the comparisons to Opeth and Katatonia, but this band really does have a unique sound distinct from both bands, although perhaps others with more experience in such music can speak better to the comparison. Regardless, this is a solid album with a strong death metal aesthetic and black metal undercurrents. For instance, on the song Amnesia these two genres are expertly mixed in a heavy and cold sound. The lyrics are as densely layered and compelling as the music throughout. Vocals flow from growling to gruff to screaming to clean and everywhere inbetween. Nothing really new here to my ears, but what is offered is quality and that substantiates the 4 star rating. The beautiful and bleak imagery of The Black Lodge song reminds me of a sadly romantic Lynchian nightmare dream. I suppose David Lynch's Cosomology is the inspiration here. The awesome sepia-tone cover art properly defines this album. It is beautiful yet bleak. It is fascinating yet foreboding. Enter at your own risk into the Black Lodge.