November Is Doom- Clouds :"Desprins"

Finally catching up with this album. I was released early in the year by the Romania-based project that blends layers of folkish atmosphere with doom, most notably in the deep, growled vocals on their new album. Clean vocals responding with aching longing in their croon. This is really well done, but hopefully they are not too married to this formula; otherwise, I can imagine how it might become predictable if that is the path this album takes. The mix can be a little weird as the flute sits higher than the guitar at times.

The second song distinguished itself with more of a stomp and ebbing down into a whispered vocal to add a more dramatic feel. The growls all resonate with the same low frequencies. They give the album room to breathe by allowing a piano to open "Unanswered," which captures the sound you want from this kind of doom. I am beginning to feel the shadow of uniformity creep over what they do, which finds the sound eclipsing the songwriting. "Chain" carries the depressive throb that leans more toward funeral doom. The sung vocals balance out things better as they find more of a groove. 

"Fall of Hearts"  works within the spectrum of sound they have already painted the song with thus far, though leaning in a more melodic direction of what they do, thanks to the prevelence of piano before the growled vocals come crashing in. It uses a more staccato cadence to serve a more purposeful placement. The paino intro, while an effective tool earlier in the album that has been added to the elements of uniformity as the guitars come crashing into the song in such a predictable manner at this point. The case of "Will it Ever End"  finds this working as they are more inspired from a songwriting perspective and take you on a trip that goes somewhere. 

When it comes to the last two songs, what makes "Chasing Ghosts" work better than 'Sorrowbound' is the vocals; the singing provides a more nuanced flow to the song, and the guitar solos add a nice touch as well. Overall, I will give this album an 8.5. It sounds great and works well in capturing this sound; they continue to perfect it.  Not all the songs captivate me out of the formula this album was made from, but it refines the big, epic, sorrow-filled doom sound many fans want. 

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