Just a quick read of the title and it’s quite clear that Aeonian Sorrow are going to be playing some doomy music. The elegance of the title certainly forebodes what the listener will find inside – thoughtful and gloomy material that has no need to be rushing from one spot to the next. In fact, it’s just as atmospheric and eerie as the cover also provides.
One wouldn’t think of Aeonian Sorrow as being a new act when taking in their debut album. There’s a maturity presence in their ability to weave plodding funeral doom vibes with more atmospheric markings. Within the 7-10 minute tracks, there is a deliberate pacing to it all. Lumbering riffs with embedded keys give plenty for growling vocalist Alejandro Lotero to chew on, and as the landscape changes, more melodic and emotive elements enter alongside Gogo Melone’s sung vocals. A beauty and the beast pairing for sure, but what’s fortunate is both how well their voices blend together, and the way that they alter the formula. They avoid an entirely predictable back and forth, instead providing changeover when called by the music. It makes lengthy epics like “Shadows Mourn” more palatable as they don’t always maneuver in the traditional funeral doom directions. If there is a strongest asset to the band, it is the atmosphere (if it wasn’t already clear). It’s consistently heart-breaking in tone, yet occasionally driving enough to keep you from entering a lull.
A promising start for Aeonian Sorrow. They manage to defy a quick categorization of their sound, yet still embody the essence of doom. Those yearning for something somber and somewhat reminiscent of the old Peaceville days will certainly find something to champion within this group.