A few months ago, on my way to Denmark on holiday, my co-driver put on some songs that I had never heard before. He explained that these were nearly finished demos of his band’s album, due to be released later that year. These songs caught my interest and more, so here it is: Obscuro’s Christmas review of Doom Death Metal from Würzburg.
Sunday of the Dead
-Memento Muribundis-
Intro
We start with the two-minute intro. We hear the sound of water splashing, then the guitars begin to play a melancholic melody. Bells ring louder and louder until the guitars stop playing and the bells take control.
Thoughts of Inevitable Annihilation
A short drum intro leads into a lengthy dark instrumental section, after which harsh vocals sing the first verse, followed by a short guitar bridge and the second verse. Female vocals take over and are interrupted by harsh vocals, as if in a battle between good and evil, angel and demon. Overall, the “Thoughts of Inevitable Annihilation” are very complex and difficult to describe. Finest doom metal, building soundscapes that let your thoughts fade away into other dimensions…
.
The Fall
The fading out of the previous track is the fading in of “The Fall”, which has less of an intro and features clean female vocals surrounded by harsh male ones. This time, it seems not to be a fight, but a chase for harmony between two different worlds. One dominates the other — can you guess which one leads us through the rest of the song until the female vocals return? They sound like a small choir, so I imagine several layers were used. The guitars turn the tide in a hostile direction, and the final female vocals sound like an apology for the fall of the positive intentions of both worlds.
A Posthumous Farewell
Once again, water splashes as a semi-acoustic intro opens the track. What happened? Is there a direct link to the story of the previous track? The fine melodies of the two guitarists, played in different moods, lead us to a very soft female choral piece, while the clean, spoken male voice tells us the story behind this tragic farewell.
Blinded by Noise
The final full song is the longest. If you were expecting party metal, you’ve come to the wrong place. A complex yet simple guitar intro, underpinned by sound effects, builds tension until it becomes unbearable. What a wall of sound and inspiration! Then, we are abruptly woken from our reverie by harsh male vocals and a brutal guitar riff. The instrumental part remains dark, brutal and complex. With every listen, you notice something new and pick up on small details. I can drift away into other spheres while listening again and again.
Outro
The outro is not available on the physical disc. The intro bells ring again for nearly one minute. It’s fitting, as it’s the day I’m writing the review — I should get ready for church and the Christmas service.
A true masterpiece
The four members of Sunday of the Dead clearly know what they’re doing. I have seldom heard such a complex album in recent years. It’s difficult to describe, let alone judge — if not impossible. If you like bands such as Sólstafir, Insomnium or Skálmöld, this is the album for you! I would give the album a clear 11/10 for those enthusiasts. For everyone else: Prepare to listen to more complex music than you’re used to with mainstream tastes. Once you understand this music, you will know why it deserves 11 out of 10 stars.
Short facts
Sunday of the Dead
Susi: guitars
Jürgen: drums
Philipp: guitars
Haereticus: vocals, bass
Memento Muribundis
Intro 01:59
Thoughts Of Inevitable Annihilation 07:01
The Fall 08:21
A Posthumous Farewell 06:39
Blinded By Noise 10:31
Outro (not on physical disc) 00:49
Recorded at Pariah Music Studios, Bastheim and Rockrecording Studio, Schesslitz, Germany
Mixed and mastered at: Rockrecording Studio, Schesslitz, Germany
CD graphics and layout: Patrice Conjo, Philipp Herber
Online:
Please buy merch and physical music or downloads from the bands official sources and don’t stream it for free because it steals your artists’ income.
Review by Friend.X aka Mr. Deep