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/:: Artist :: Hooded Menace ::\
:: Album :: Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration ::
:: Year :: 2025 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Death Metal Source :: CD . ::
:: Label :: Season of Mist R.date :: 2025-12-06 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: SOM 869D S.date :: 2025-10-03 __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 272kbps :..
. Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo .
. Size :: 96.31 MB .
. .
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 1. Twilight Passage 1:04 ::
:: 2. Pale Masquerade 7:50 ::
:: 3. Portrait Without a Face 7:14 ::
:: 4. Daughters of Lingering Pain 7:25 ::
:: 5. Lugubrious Dance 7:20 ::
:: 6. Save a Prayer 6:12 ::
:: 7. Into Haunted Oblivion 9:46 ::
:: ::
:: ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 46:51 ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: Finnish death-doom masters Hooded Menace return with their ::
:: seventh album of sepulchral gloom. Out via Season Of Mist on ::
:: October 3rd. ::
:: ::
:: Classic synths and soaring leads bring the record into life ::
:: with a sombre and theatrical introduction. Melodic guitars and ::
:: powerful drums kick things in with mean vocals and savage ::
:: grooves in tow. Instantly the eerie and doomy death metal of ::
:: Hooded Menace can be recognised which has even moved into more ::
:: traditional heavy metal territories over the past couple of ::
:: records. The noticeable influence of Mercyful Fate / King ::
:: Diamond in the guitars is especially clear and couples ::
:: perfectly with the horror-themed extremity on show. Furthering ::
:: the more epic feelings, the guitar solos really leap forward in ::
:: the mix which elevates the record and also shows the huge ::
:: development in LasseÆs playing. Pairing fist-pounding anthemic ::
:: mania with the brooding and gothic mood of the record it is ::
:: bewitching from the get-go with a really powerful and ::
:: enchanting sound that balances all of its elements superbly. ::
:: Album seven is off to a strong start. ::
:: ::
:: There is definitely more experimentation than ever, adding to ::
:: the death and doom metal elements with orchestration, post-rock ::
:: and other ideas while keeping the heart of the music beating ::
:: true to its original purpose. Sometimes when bands branch out ::
:: they go too far and lose their identity or what made them ::
:: special in the first place, but this still feels like Hooded ::
:: Menace. ôOssuarium Silhouettes Unhallowedö is one of my ::
:: favourite records in death-doom and I loved ôThe Tritonus Bellö ::
:: and its coupling of that with more traditional heavy metal. Now ::
:: the band go in more melancholy and yet catchy directions and I ::
:: still feel excited by their music this far into their career. ::
:: Those barbaric riffing moments are still around, the funereal ::
:: moods are as potent as ever and HarriÆs vocals are sublime in ::
:: their execution. Admittedly fans of their earlier adherence to ::
:: more classic death-doom ideas may be a little thrown but I ::
:: think this record will hold its own as a unique and strong move ::
:: from the band. ::
:: ::
:: Covering Duran Duran was not a predictable move but as we heard ::
:: with their cover of WASP on the last record; the band can do a ::
:: killer job covering others. This one worked supremely well with ::
:: the bands gloomy yet rocky sensibilities and the song fit ::
:: perfectly into becoming a gothic death/doom cut. We are not ::
:: done yet though, the near ten minute closing epic ensures ::
:: Hooded Menace leave with splendour. Their harnessing of 80s ::
:: metallic might and cult horror is a concoction that never grows ::
:: tiresome. Varying paces from classic gallops, mournful doom and ::
:: punishing death; this is the next step for the Finnish entity ::
:: whose creativity remains unbound and wild. Right Ætil itÆs ::
:: closing moments this record erupts with an extraordinary vibe ::
:: thatÆs inarguably captivating and holds you in its ghostly ::
:: grasp with a sense of unwavering curiosity. Astounding and ::
:: bewildering stuff indeed. ::
:: ::
:: There we have it, album seven and still not a weak release! ::
:: Hooded Menace push the boat out further while feeling as ::
:: deathly and pensive as ever. Still able to rock, death, doom ::
:: and goth it up or invoke all of the above at their whim; ::
:: ôLachrymose Monuments Of Obscurationö is a varied but ::
:: well-balanced and enchanting record that will certainly ::
:: transport you to graven realms for its duration. Showing the ::
:: bands full range of influences and abilities, itÆs magnificent ::
:: to still see them adventuring further into charnel worlds than ::
:: ever before this far into their career. A monolithic effort of ::
:: eldritch metal music. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
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