Album Review: Marrowfields – Metamorphoses
Reviewed by Neil Bolton
Marrowfields have managed to stunningly blend Doom Metal and Atmospheric Death Metal extremely well. This debut album is 51-minute epic tail based Ovidian folklore. The theme of the album is echoed in the incredible painting they have used by Kishor Haulenbeek for the front cover; immediately displaying the type of music you are about to devour. This is certainly not a lazy photo cover of the band standing in a bleak pose in their hometown of Fall River, Massachusetts. For some reason I was surprised to learn of their hometown, I imagined their birthplace to be a European location with dark cold summers and even colder more difficult winters. I suppose this is a testament to the music and ambience the band have created.
The whole album mixes the two camps well with clean well delivered vocals and chugging doom riffs creating a somber atmosphere that seamlessly moves to black metal, never losing the gloomy tone. Occasional blast beats mix with slow guitars creating something that is not run of the mill. The vocals stay with the clean delivery throughout the album even though the music blends styles. This is a release that is firstly doom, with black metal elements folded in, but should appeal to fans of both genres. There is enough quality in the song writing to maybe bring someone new to either scene as well as to this excellent release.
Although this album is as mentioned 51 minutes it only involves 5 tracks. All epic, each telling their own tail to add to the overall narrative. With subjects such as the violent acts of creation and demise, punishment through animal form, over indulgence, personal transformation and the withering of the seasons. Marrowfields obviously wish to sing about more than boy meets girl, girl leaves boy.
'Metamorphoses' should see this band forge a name for themselves in the metal world, gathering many fans along the journey. They have already fashioned one in me.
