Friday, 02 July 1909 00:00

BLISTERING Reviews NOVEMBER'S DOOM - 'Into Night's Requiem Infernal'

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Into Night’s Requiem Infernal exemplifies why this group continues onward while so many similar bands (especially in America) have folded or faded into obscurity.


RATING: 8.5/10
URL: http://www.blistering.com/fastpage/fpengine.php/link/1/templateid/16126/tempidx/4/menuid/2

[8.5/10] Chicago’s masters of down tempo death metal, November’s Doom have returned with another spirit-crushing album, Into Night’s Requiem Infernal. The eight tracks that comprise the said album strike a balance between melody, atmosphere, burlesque ringing chords and vicious death metal, thus painting numerous emotions into their musical palette.

With Into Night’s Requiem Infernal, November’s Doom not only traverses many moods, the group does it with exquisite skill. The title track and “Lazarus Regret” adhere to a strict death metal formula, often breaking down the tempo into hugely proportioned doom metal sections. “Lazarus Regret” shows the band incorporating thrashing death metal rhythms, which the group expertly transitions into a stop-and-start-then-go time change. They end the track with ringing chords and a psychotic growl-scream dual. Guitarists Lawrence Roberts and Vito Marchese display the album’s best collection of riffs on the title track, working in an ominous guitar lead during the slowest parts and vintage Stockholm-Sweden death metal riffing during the up-tempo passages.

Like a skitzo receiving his bedtime meds, “The Fifth Day of March” and “When Desperation Fills the Void” show the group mostly relinquishing their death metal grip in favor of soft-yet-sulking pieces. Each guitarist switches off his distortion while the vocals transform into beautiful, clean harmonies. Following the tradition of Tiamat and Anathema, November’s Doom takes cue from Pink Floyd on the blues-laced “The Fifth Day of March.”

November’s Doom mostly adheres to one mood on the above tracks, although there is a spattering of hard parts within the soft and vice-versa. While the group successfully pulls off both ends of the spectrum on these tracks, they are at their best when continually switching moods within each song. “Empathy’s Greed” and “I Hurt Those I Adore” keep the listener swaying to serene harmonies until the group angry projects their harsh death metal side.

In the not-so-vaunted doom metal scene, few bands have endured and excelled as November’s Doom. Into Night’s Requiem Infernal exemplifies why this group continues onward while so many similar bands (especially in America) have folded or faded into obscurity. This album is a good example because it features doom metal with all the trimmings: large chord structures, melody, clean and death vocals and atmosphere, yet the band’s death metal side should find favor with those who only take it hard and rough. Into Night’s Requiem Infernal is definitely one of the year’s highlights for The End Records!



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Last modified on Tuesday, 20 July 2010 16:30
Novembers Doom

Novembers Doom

Novembers Doom is one of the earliest U.S. death/doom metal metal bands that are still active today along with Evoken and Rigor Sardonicous. The band is from Chicago, Illinois. They are currently signed to The End Records.

Novembers Doom formed in 1989, but it was not until 1992 that Novembers Doom would receive some attention in the metal world. An early deal with Regress Records, of Italy, allowed Avantgarde Records to hear the band. This demo (Her Tears Drop) was heavy, combined with moods of darkness and despair. The two songs would lead to the release of the band’s full length debut CD, Amid Its Hallowed Mirth on Avant Garde and Nuclear Blast. Exploring and expanding, the band added female backing vocals and continued its thick, eerie brand of metal. A compilation track for Pavement Music soon followed.

In 1997, Novembers Doom released the EP For Every Leaf That Falls. The album was well received, leading to favorable reviews and response worldwide. Novembers Doom has since released their second full length album Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers, with Martyr Music Group. This new offering had received rave reviews.

In May of 2000, Novembers Doom entered the recording studio once again, to record the follow up to Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers. The band has recorded The Knowing with Studio One’s Chris Djuricic. The CD is an extension of the previous material, only taking steps in new directions to enhance their already original sound.

In July of 2000, Novembers Doom officially became a member of Dark Symphonies. Realizing the bands potential, they constructed a deal with Martyr Music Group, to include the band on its roster, releasing The Knowing to the public.

In October 2002, Novembers Doom entered the studio to begin work on their second full length of new material for Dark Symphonies. The band’s fourth full length album would be entitled To Welcome the Fade, only this time they recruited the talents of the Grammy Award-winning producer, Neil Kernon. Kernon, best known for his work with acts like Hall & Oates, Kansas, Yes, Queensrÿche, Judas Priest, and more recently Nevermore and Cannibal Corpse, brought a new power and clarity to the sound of the band. This album was chosen as the Number One metal album of 2002 in Metal Maniacs magazine by one of its head editors, Novembers Doom was also a featured cover story on their January 2003 issue.

In 2004, a successful tour in North America with The Gathering eventually leading to a signing with The End Records that summer. The band entered the studio in the fall to record their fifth album, The Pale Haunt Departure. This time around the band enlisted the help of the very respected producer and artist Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath and Nightingale) for the mixing duties, and the mastering went to metal guitarist and producer James Murphy (Testament, Obituary and Disincarnate).

In March 2005, The Pale Haunt Departure was released with a tour supporting it. Novembers Doom continues to forge ahead, meshing diverse musical styles and textures in the pursuit of always creating a new and unique listening experience with each new release, while retaining their heavy sound and dark lyrics.

In June 2006, the band’s sixth full-length album, The Novella Reservoir, was announced on The End Records’ website. The album consists of eight tracks. It is a follow-up to The Pale Haunt Departure.

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