A Swedish quintet with ties to acts like October Tide, Centinex, and Interment beyond live experience with Katatonia and Entombed A.D. under their belts, Moondark originally developed a couple of demos in 1993 and 2015 respectively. Guessing that good things take time to gel (or just finding the right opportunity/time to strike), we finally arrive at the group’s debut full-length for The Abysmal Womb. Steeped in 90s-style riffing, tones, and atmosphere, these eight songs straddle the greatness of doom/death that encompasses both stateside and European elements to convey a crushingly heavy sound.
The despair seething through the growls and sadistic screams of vocalist Alexander Högbom can’t be missed while the low churning riffs plus slower rhythm section parts thump your chest – as opener “Where Once Was Life” sets the mood with its mixture of Crowbar-like moodiness next to early Crematory / Cathedral heaviness. Every riff evolves in its own fashion, the five-piece using subtle dynamic tricks to keep ears on alert. The occasional thick use of the rumbling bass by Allan Lundholm sets up death-oriented sequences where drummer Kennet Englund can flex a bit more of his double kick groove-driven flair – working to symbiotic perfection on “Palliative Dusk”. The foundational riffs along with tasty mini-breaks or circular runs from guitarists Johan Jansson and Mattias Norrman never disappoint – every nuance logical in terms of phrasing to execute the next depressive musical montage. One listen to the savage, slow intensity for “Sterile Earth” or the devilish bellows throughout “Beyond Darkness” speak volumes to the doom/death axe ambiance in full effect, a raw purity driving a stake into the heart of all underground metalheads. Intertwining songs of average four to five-minute lengths with the occasional seven to almost eight-minute epics, these musicians serve the right balance between adequate songwriting mechanics in this style to serve each track’s individual needs without overburdening the proceedings.
It’s not very often that you find artists who started a band in the early 90s returning to that same form thirty plus years later convincingly. That’s what you’ll hear from Moondark on this record. Sincere execution on The Abysmal Womb should lead most listeners into a path craving more material hopefully released in a timely manner.