Album Review: The Sombre - Monuments of Grief
Reviewed by Rick Eaglestone
Sometimes I like to be in the midst of complete chaos whilst writing depending on how much coffee I’ve had, other times I like it to be really late and so quiet in the house I can literally hear my own breath – the perfect setting for some heart wrenching doom-death with The Sombre’s third album 'Monuments of Grief'.
The opening track ‘From the Depths of Misery’ sent shivers down my spine as it’s just the right blend of slow, melancholic guitar parts and de Jong’s vocals pulling you further into the misery as each minute passe, the more I listen to the next track ‘Alone in My Desolation’ the more I hear early Katatonia and Paradise Lost weaved alongside piano pieces throughout.
For me the absolute highlight track of this release ‘The Mourning Gloom’ should be used as an example of just how ethereal doom-death can be, it’s perfectly adapted itself to my current environment and how I am listening to it as I feel every riff, drumbeat and growl even more prominently, absolutely full of melody and lingering devastation & the follow up title track ‘Monuments of Grief’ follows this wonderfully with just a splash more despair thanks to the addition of the violins.
Every track on this release perfectly compliments the next take for example ‘When Death Comes I will Be Beside You’ it still maintains the atmosphere that has been running through this album and still finds itself and some newer element to enhance the listeners journey through “Monuments of Grief”
The concluding chapter ‘Paradise Regained’ is the most upbeat yet for me is the most nostalgic feeling, all the elements of the previous tracks are there in droves, but it is the midway point that has me most excited as it really strips everything back readying itself for one last teardrop.
Not an album I am going forget in a hurry and one that I am excited to hear again in the not-too-distant future.
A perfect album in complete darkness
