Grieving Age | ‘In Aloof Lantern, Thy Bequeathed A Wailer Quietus’

It’s a rare thing to ecounter metal from Saudi Arabia, and Grieving Age put in a good account of themselves on this unsigned album. It’s Doom Death in the lengthy and lugubrious fashion of Saturnus, Evoken and old My Dying Bride, with the hallmarks of each weighing strongly on the band’s music.

The band also cite Mourning Beloveth as an influence, and it’s a highly accurate one. Grieving Age have the same phlegmy vocal bellows, and the same century-long wait between beats that characterises the Beloveth’s tracks. What they dont yet have however is the same level of class. Sadly, there’s nothing on here to elevate it above what’s absolutely standard within the scene.

The lack of clean vocals grates after a while, given especially that the bellows just get a bit too repetitive. Then again, when they increase the speed just a fraction, allowing in a good bit of double kick, it’s satisfyingly heavy.

It’s Doom Death in the vintage mould, and there’s ultimately not a lot more to say about it. It isn’t poor, but it isnt that mind blowing either. Perhaps a few more sonic references to their part of the world could liven it up a little, but then maybe that’s not something they want to play on.

Keeping attention when both tracks run to nearly twenty minutes is a big ask. Yes, there’s a decent sense of ‘Trinity’-era MDB about it (particularly on the closing sections of track 1), but Grieving Age need to add something - anything - more spicy into the mix. Dyed in the wool Funeral Doom / Doom Death fans will enjoy this chunky, heavy dirge. For everyone else though, it’s perhaps just a bit unrelenting in its similarity.

2.4 / 5 - Ciaran Tracey ::: 25/10/09