▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███
░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓
███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░
███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████
███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███
███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███
███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███
▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███
███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███
██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███
░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███
░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀
██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██
░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░
▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓
░ ██ ██ Artist: Doom:VS ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Aeternum Vale █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2018 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2018-02-17 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Solitude Productions ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Reissue ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Doom:VS became famous already in its early years. █
█ Johan maybe has borrowed some fame from Draconian, █
█ but the result is more than satisfying: in this █
█ project he created powerful death doom metal with █
█ elements of funeral doom as well. Aeternum Vale is █
█ perfect debut, which opened many doors to him in █
█ the Doom industry. █
█ Aeternum Vale is 50 minutes of crushing, yet █
█ emotional death doom metal, which almost has no █
█ similarities with other bands. Most of the modern █
█ artists in this genre try to create something that █
█ already was created by My Dying Bride and Anathema █
█ years ago. But here Johan has taken new path, █
█ which do not go near neither Mourning Beloveth █
█ and, surprisingly, nor Draconian. █
█ Well, the cover art of the album is nothing █
█ special, just typical grey-white photo with █
█ semi-unrecognizable silhouettes there, but we █
█ mustn't judge book by its cover. The atmosphere of █
█ the album is just amazing. Johan doesn't often use █
█ keyboards, so the whole atmosphere is created █
█ mostly by the guitars. It's riffs are generally █
█ slow and moderate and sometimes moves to fast █
█ tempo (for example: track 'the crawling insects'). █
█ Here you will be able to hear two different types █
█ of vocals, strong grawl, which is the main and the █
█ lead type of vocals, and 'hellish' clean vocals, █
█ which gives songs their diversity and light parts. █
█ And also you will be able to hear great orchestral █
█ parts in the songs The Faded Earth and Aeternus. █
█ Johan has some kind if tradition to make the last █
█ tracks of the albums long and over-emotional. In █
█ 'over-emotional' I don't mean that there are more █
█ emotions than needed, there are just more emotions █
█ than in other songs. The duo of grawl and clean █
█ vocal along with the groove, slow riffs make █
█ amazing atmosphere, which gives the song the █
█ ability to 'sum up' whole album, which leaves the █
█ listener excited and wanting to hear more. █
█ To conclude, Aeternum Vale is in the 'must-know █
█ list'. Every fan of doom metal will appreciate the █
█ effort Johan has put here and some of them may █
█ find germ for their collection too. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Doom:VS is a side project of Draconian's Johan █
█ Ericson. While that band possesses far too many █
█ gothic elements for me to tolerate, his solo work █
█ is very solid doom/death with obvious influences █
█ from the older works of Paradise Lost, My Dying █
█ Bride and Katatonia, but with a definite character █
█ of its own. This band was recommended to me by a █
█ friend, some years ago, but I took quite a while █
█ to get around to really listening to it, assuming █
█ most modern things to not be worth the time to █
█ listen to. That may be the case with black, death █
█ and thrash, but it would seem that the various █
█ forms of doom metal are still growing stronger. █
█ Once I really gave this some attention, it did not █
█ leave my ears for many months and is still █
█ something that I find myself returning to when in █
█ certain moods. █
█ Aeternum Vale, latin for 'Farewell Forever', was █
█ released in July 2006. From the initial moments of █
█ "The Light That Would Fade", one can tell that █
█ this is far darker and more serious than anything █
█ released by Draconian. The guitars are crushingly █
█ heavy, possessing somewhat of an oppressive █
█ feeling, which matches the overall atmosphere of █
█ misery and hopelessness. Unlike a lot of funeral █
█ doom bands, things never get too slow to where it █
█ feels as if nothing is happening. Obviously, the █
█ entire album is a rather slow-paced affair, yet █
█ there is enough diversity in the songwriting that █
█ each song really stands out on its own and you █
█ never find yourself getting bored. The guitar █
█ melodies are well thought-out and perfectly convey █
█ a feeling of utter despair. Johan utilizes harsh █
█ vocals for the most part, in a deep style but not █
█ to the point where it no longer has any meaning. █
█ Some vocalists employ such a guttural approach █
█ that it renders the vocals completely ineffective, █
█ but that is not the case here. There are bits of █
█ clean vocals, occasionally, but mostly in a █
█ backing capacity. The drumming is used sparingly █
█ enough, never going overboard and distracting from █
█ the riffs. Everything really comes together to █
█ serve the singular purpose of opening the gates to █
█ the darkness of hell that lingers within us all. █
█ As the album progresses, you can feel yourself █
█ being dragged deeper into the abyss. █
█ "Everything dies within" █
█ The lyrics, themselves, do not merely tell the █
█ tale of one man's sorrow. One really gets the █
█ sense that the message is that this empty world █
█ holds nothing but grief and misfortune for all of █
█ us. Still, despite the fact that we are all here █
█ in this miserable wasteland of nothingness, we █
█ must carry our own load and thus we suffer █
█ together and in solitude at the same time. This is █
█ emphasized by the woeful lead in "The Faded █
█ Earth", which almost digs into your chest and █
█ carves away at the hole where your heart once █
█ resided. These days, it seems as if a lot of bands █
█ have forgotten the usefulness of guitar solos and █
█ the fact that they can really add a lot of depth █
█ to what is going on, when used correctly. Perhaps, █
█ there is still some rejection of the typical, █
█ obligatory guitar solo that one would often hear █
█ in the '80s and even into the '90s, but many █
█ musicians do themselves and their music a █
█ disservice to neglect this. There is very minimal █
█ use of keyboards, as well as some spoken word █
█ parts, but these things are done tastefully. █
█ Occasionally, there are sections that use clean █
█ guitars, also. These quiet parts are not terribly █
█ common, but used enough to add yet another dynamic █
█ to the album. To further this, there is also some █
█ limited use of tremolo melodies to accentuate the █
█ typical doom riffing. █
█ The highlight of the album is "Oblivion Upon Us", █
█ starting with a sombre piano bit and then erupting █
█ into an abysmal dirge of utter melancholy. It █
█ features some quieter parts that have clean spoken █
█ vocals, adding to the dismal atmosphere. The faint █
█ hints of keyboard use really demonstrates that █
█ less is more. There is somewhat of a nightmarish █
█ feeling to this song, at times, then bleeding into █
█ sections that are more sorrowful and epic. This █
█ very memorable and somewhat melodic piece of music █
█ captures the feeling of misery and despair that █
█ awaits us all, those who continue to live in this █
█ empty and soulless world. Life is a big nothing. █
█ Any attempt to create meaning will only end in █
█ wasted effort and broken hopes. █
█ "I see no end to all this pain... the world is █
█ dead through my eyes" █
█ For the most part, Aeternum Vale is structured █
█ well. The song placement works and the tracks █
█ themselves are all at just the right length in the █
█ sense that they have time to take you on a journey █
█ into misery, yet they aren't too long to the █
█ extent where you disconnect from what is going on █
█ and become bored. "The Crawling Insects" may be █
█ the one exception, in that it seems a little █
█ weaker than the rest. The only song that goes past █
█ the ten-minute mark is "Aeternus". This is a good █
█ thing, compared to bands that offer up half a █
█ dozen songs that range from ten to twenty minutes. █
█ The running time of this album is just under fifty █
█ minutes, which is a solid dose of doom without █
█ becoming tedious to listen to. The overall sound █
█ is really good, as well. Of course, death/doom is █
█ not supposed to sound all that raw or necro (with █
█ some exceptions), so the standards of production █
█ are completely different from the likes of Black █
█ Metal. Everything here is rather clear and this █
█ works well with the mournful guitar riffs, giving █
█ them the full ability to draw you in and crush █
█ your spirit. For fans of the older works of █
█ Paradise Lost or My Dying Bride, this is highly █
█ recommended and does well to build on that style. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ DOOM:VS... possibly one of the most depressing, █
█ but uplifting bands I've ever heard. Each song on █
█ this album is well written and has it's own unique █
█ sound. I have not yet come across a band like this █
█ before and I cannot put into words how much this █
█ band has influenced me. █
█ Every song on this album is very well planned out █
█ from the background choir (clearly a keyboard but █
█ still good none-the-less) to the solos that add █
█ such a feeling of utter depression. The songs are █
█ soothing and give you a peaceful calm feeling at █
█ times but can also bring utter chaos. This album █
█ was very enjoyable in all aspects, you can put █
█ this album on repeat forever and it will still █
█ blow your socks off everytime you hear it. █
█ The main song for me that sticks out is Oblivion █
█ Upon Us; when he does his spoken intro then the █
█ song just pounds in and then there's the lead in █
█ it... This album is probably one of the most █
█ impressive funeral doom releases I've ever heard, █
█ but that's my opinnion. I highly recommend going █
█ out and buying this album as soon as you can, it's █
█ worth the money you spend. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ Johan EricsonÆs brain child, DOOM:VS, is in my █
█ opinion one of the most promising new wave Doom █
█ Metal acts. This one-man project encompasses █
█ various sullen musical styles, ranging from gloomy █
█ Gothic/Doom melodies of Draconian (Swe), █
█ slow-paced Funeral Doom bands like Shape of █
█ Despair, to a bit uptempo Doom/Death bands, such █
█ as Mourning Beloveth. Aeternum Vale (meaning █
█ "farewell forever") could easily be labeled as one █
█ of the best Doom Metal releases of 2006. In a █
█ little over 50 minutes we plunge into bleak vistas █
█ of despair, coupled with beautiful yet haunting █
█ melodies. Production is very solid and polished, █
█ we can hear that Johan really did take the time █
█ for this album. Despite its gloomy genre, the █
█ music surprisingly never gets boring. This is █
█ achieved through evocative guitar solos, which █
█ conjure up astonishing soundscapes. The very high █
█ quality of vocals, alternating between clean █
█ lamentations and deep guttural growls, help to █
█ build up the atmosphere. Funeral Doom drumming █
█ tends to be quite tedious and monotonous, on █
█ Aeternum Vale, however, this never happens - drums █
█ offer progressive variations and slightly quicker █
█ tempos. On The Crawling Insects track we can even █
█ hear some blast beats. There are no deviations of █
█ quality throughout the entire album and some songs █
█ are almost catchy, perhaps a little too catchy. █
█ Because of its refreshing variety the album can be █
█ easily recommended to newbies in heavier Doom █
█ Metal subgenres. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. The Light That Would Fade 9:28 ░
░ 2. Empire of the Fallen 5:41 ░
░ 3. The Faded Earth 8:00 ░
░ 4. Oblivion upon Us 7:27 ░
░ 5. The Crawling Insects 7:01 ░
░ 6. Aeternus 12:25 ░
░ 50:02 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
■ █▄ ░ ██
▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░
▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓
▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■
░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░
▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░
█▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓
█▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█
▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒
░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░
▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓
█▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓
░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒
█░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█
███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░
▓██ ░ ██▓
██░ ░██
█▒ ░ ░█
▀█ █▀
▓ ░
░