Mourn The Light – Suffer, Then We’re Gone (Argonauta Records)

Wednesday, 21st July 2021
Rating: 9/10

Steady output equals prime real estate in the hearts and minds of your fanbase. In an era where many major bands take three to five years between releases due to the wider touring windows (which generate the most personal revenue), groups like Mourn the Light churn out new singles, EP’s, and full-lengths as inspiration and budget/studio time allows. After issuing their Weight of the World EP in 2018, they followed things up with a split CD with Oxblood Forge the following year – setting the stage for the first full-length in Suffer, Then We’re Gone. Much like the previous releases, the quintet continues to produce an amazing synthesis of doom and classic heavy metal influences – adhering to a catchy knack for strong riffs, proper rhythm section support, and powerful vocals to bring these tracks home.

Outside influences include an old school southern rock meets country edge in specific acoustic guitars and melancholy electric passages that make “Take Your Pain Away” an early standout – vocalist Andrew Stachelek digging deep into his soul for his mid-range emotive phrasing and contemplative nature to this specific verse/chorus delivery. Drummer Kyle Hebner accents his slower main kit duties with smaller bursts of double kick movements or power snare/cymbal combinations – “Progeny of Pain” stellar in its true metal components. The guitar/bass weaving and interplay from Dwayne Eldredge, Kieran Beaty, and Bill Herrick during “Refuse to Fall” contains a lot of the gallop/marching nuances you would expect from early Queensrÿche, Iron Maiden, or even Randy Rhoads-period Ozzy Osbourne – an energetic anthem that should be a Mourn the Light set staple from this point forward. Recording with Dave Kaminsky (Entierro, Svn Seeker) allows the band a sense of confidence and purity that captures a sound coming from older 70’s/80’s doom and heavy influences, but not sacrificing the tools of today to give off a vibrant, live from the floor final sonic outlook. Even the 2020 version of “End of Times” has a bit more spark thanks to Kyle’s fill choices, the unison chorus ideal for audience participation.

The musical chemistry and metal knowledge for Mourn the Light can’t be denied – those who love classic, traditional doom and heavy metal would be wise to jump on this release.

Mourn the Light official website

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