Fragments of Lost Memories – Life is Fleeting (Self-Released)

Wednesday, 8th February 2023 By Brittany Barkasi

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Fragments of Lost Memories formed in 2021 and has already released 4 full-lengths. Often when a band releases a lot of material in a short period, it’s not of the best quality; this is not the case with this Japanese funeral doom project. Fans of Ahab and Mournful Congregation, go ahead and get excited!

Life is Fleeting is a bit different from their previous offering, Divagate (which ranked 9 in this writer’s top 2022 albums). It is not the same crushing wall of funeral doom experienced there, but rather incorporates elements of gothic and epic doom. There’s no question its base lies in funeral doom, but they took it up a notch from their prior album; much like Izzy Mandelbaum in Seinfeld, but let’s get serious. While most funeral doom has a sorrowful feel, this is soul crushing, especially when it comes to the vocals, as they sound like the vocalist is in pure agony.

Unlike all of their prior full-lengths, there are 6 tracks instead of 4, and it feels like the band is really coming into their own. “Lost Place” starts off with what sounds like an epic doom style riff a la Candlemass, but throughout the track there are many twists and turns that make this 10-minute song fly by. “Never Come Back” graces the listener with beautiful violins, haunting melodies and even some terrifying organ work that is in time with the rhythm guitar. Moving into the longest song on the release, “The World Without Hope” brings the full weight of pulverizing funeral doom onto the listener that the first two tracks do not prepare one for (this is not a complaint). Keeping a 15-minute song interesting the whole time is no small feat, but it’s pulled off masterfully, with ever-changing riffs, pounding drums, melancholic vocal growls and of course more of that eerie violin. “Sadness Is Like Snow” ironically melts into “Water” with somehow even more bewailment, along with that somber organ. It feels like they are building to something dreadful. Everything comes to a head on the title track, with 15 minutes of soul piercing resonance that leaves the listener shattered.

If this album is any indication of the direction Fragments of Lost Memories is heading, then we are all in for a treat. Life is Fleeting combines the most mournful, depressing funeral doom aspects with slow, crushing riffs, unearthly leads, hard hitting drums, powerful bass work, creepy violins and an uncanny organ sound. As a result, the listener is provided music they’ll feel in the very depths of their soul. This release is the perfect continual evolution of this band, and hopefully they will start to get some much deserved attention. Here’s to hoping Coffins isn’t the only Japanese band on the Maryland Deathfest 2024 roster.