Album Review: The Corona Lantern – Certa Omnibus Hora

Back in 2014, The Corona Lantern formed and were, at the time, only conceived as a studio project. This is their second full length album and it continues with the atmosphere created with their first. Subject matters such as alienation, anxiety and of course death seep through the work of this Czech sludge/doom outfit’s gloomy catalogue.

'As Wide Eyes Travel' opens this album in the most beautiful manner. Slow atmospheric drums, along with keyboards, wrap themselves around the listener; waiting for the death vocals of Daniela Dahlien Neumanova to rise into the mix with sinister intent. She has a vocal sound dripping in menace and purpose. The somber musical tone carries the established atmosphere throughout the song. 'Through This Swamp of Oblivion' carries on where the latter track finished with glorious bleak resonance. This track has an adjoining video to complement the sound with a dark bleak horror imagery that you most likely had already forming in your mind.

The third track 'Up The Last Hill' does not stray away from the wretched road set out upon and I am grateful for it. There is a confidence this band possess in their horrific and melancholic sound; a conviction bands with a lot more albums under their belt do not always master. 'Hours Between Heartbeats' is slightly more upbeat but still fits the post death metal label well. This track could even be accused of having an uplifting bounce in its rotting soul. The menacing doomy waters of 'Make me Forget' once again rise with drums and keyboards lulling you in until a lighter guitar sound floats nicely on the surface. Neumanova’s vocals once again powerfully add more darkness and demonic intent to the already heady mix on show.
'The Truth and its Will' is the final track and it’s a ten minute monster; the style you have, by now, embraced continues once again. A blast beat conclusion to the song, and album, giving you a glimpse of the black metal foundations of this sound.

If the bleakness of My Dying Bride along side the atmosphere of Alcest sound appealing to you, then these Czech purveyors of shadowy tunes will sit nicely in your collection.