DEVENIAL VERDICT - Blessing of Despair
Transcending Obscurity Records
Two years ago I called this Finnish band's full length debut, Ash Blind, Death Metal for late night listeners. I also thought it was of the best albums of 2022. I said that then because I am a late night listener half the time . So there is an affinity to certain bands when you first check em out especially the mood and surroundings your in.
So here we are two years later with their sophomore full length and I have to say the title of this release is so perfect as far as the music goes. DEVENIAL VERDICT are a Death Doom band but not in the traditional Finnish style. We fans know that the traditional stuff is painfully slow and depressive. This four piece is all about violence and claustrophobia.
While listening to this you feel like the walls are closing in on ya. Also instead of trying to destroy you with the riffs it's like you're being grabbed by the shoulder and carried along with the chords. Plus the band throws in all of the these subtle breaks from song structure (aka: "atmosphere and dissonance"). Yeah I do laugh at those terms of late but anyways....
Once again guitarist Sebastian Frigren just impresses me with his comforting guitar work. I mean yeah he can punish you with a heavy handed riff. But it's his light handed work on the frets and then coming forth with sonically charged fury which is really fuckin exciting to hear. Two years ago I called him a six string virtuoso and yeah it still stands.
Now to the greatness of what Sebastian Frigren produces you've got vocalist Riku Saressalo who does the whole bear / beast vocal style. But he's a humble beast, sure he can come across as angry but also in despair and anguish in his singing style. I mean what this band does is truly that beautiful and beast like attack which is what great Finnish Death Doom has been held in great prominence.
The whole thing here is whether Blessing of Despair is a great successor to their cool as fuck debut. I think it is and it's all about having a release that has you sitting inside thinking the walls are closing in. And yet there's some escape albeit thinly. Oh yeah it's a major late night release to enjoy. Nuff Said.
LISTEN HERE:
https://devenialverdictband.bandcamp.com/album/blessing-of-despair
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