Doom metal does not have to be entirely claustrophobic and introspective, as Isenordal try to prove on their latest opus Requiem For Eirênê. Although the pace may be somewhat funereal for the most part, the sound is bombastic and grandiose: visions of standing atop moonlit hills overlooking barren chasms in suitably billowing clothing are dramatically conjured, tinges of a beautiful, beguiling sadness dripping from every note.
The dual use of guttural male and operatic female vocals enhances the gothic credentials of the record, adding a sense of drama that is often missing from the genre. This is mirrored throughout Requiem For Eirênê by the frequent intertwining of heavy, distorted guitars with soaring, wailing violins. The results attempt to tap into the romantic ideals of the world as initially portrayed by the likes of Emily Brontë and Bram Stoker, albeit displaced from the Yorkshire Moors to Isenordal’s home turf of the valleys in the north-western States.
But for all this promenading around in the dark period piece of the night, the rises and falls in the mood of the music become rather predictable, allowing the attention of the listener to drift away too easily. Beyond the sparse piano interlude of the title track in the middle of the record, the blueprint remains the same for all four of the longer pieces, each executed with varying degrees of success. Taken individually, these are wonderfully expressive pieces; yet by collecting them together into Requiem For Eirênê, their light is severely diminished – the absolute antithesis of the exercise.
The realisation that the parts are greater than the sum of the whole is a frustrating one, a clear demonstration of the pitfalls many can fall into when alighting on what appears to be a grand idea. Isenordal do offer up enough on Requiem For Eirênê to warrant further exploration for the curious; however the level of satisfaction to raise it beyond a passing fancy is likely to be missing for many souls who venture into its depths.
