The Beauty of Doom in Soliloquium's "Contemplations" (Full Length - 2018)

The Beauty of Doom in Soliloquium's "Contemplations" (Full Length - 2018)

By: Rana Atef

Originally published on 9/6/2018 at 8:08 pm

Track Details:

Band: Soliloquium

Album: Contemplations

Genre: Death Doom Metal

Origin: Sweden

Year of Release: 2018

Rate: 8

Album Tracklist:

1- "Chains"

2- "Catharsis"

3- "Streetlights"

4- "22"

5- "Unfulfilling Prophecy"

6- "For the Accursed"

7- "In Affect"

8- "Wanderlust"

The Story

Hey, Hey, I am back to reviewing again after a small break to handle some interviews with the Egyptian legendary Ahl Sina, the great Amorphis, and the beautiful Silentium.

Today, I am bringing to you a beautiful piece of Doom Metal music, "Contemplations" by Solilquium.

As, always, I provide you with my story with this band, actually it was a respected and humble recommendation from my dear friend, Mahmoud Ezzat a.k.a "المعلم حنتيرا", one of مجتمع الميتال العربى page founders, one of Metal Blast Festival's organizers, and one of the well-known Metalheads in Egypt.

He is an experienced, and great Doom Metal passionate, so his recommendations should be put on consideration without any doubt.

What's more interesting, that I found Soliloquium's new album's songs conquered the Arabic, and Middle Eastern Metal groups which made me more excited to listen to the album.

Who is Soliloquium?

Soliloquium is a Swedish Death Doom Metal band that formed in 2011, the band is mainly influenced with Katatonia, Paradise Lost, Anathema, and October Tide.

The members of the band are: Stefan Nordström (Guitars, Vocals), Jonas Bergvist (Bass) and Mortuz (Drums).

Both Nordström and Bergvist are members of the Swedish Death Metal band Desolator. 


The Discography of the band includes: "When Silence Grows Venomous" (Demo), "The Concept of Escape" (EP), "A Night of Burdens" (EP), "Absence" (Compilation), "With or Without" (Single), "An Empty Frame" (Full Length), "Catharsis" (Single), "Chains" (Single) and finally "Contemplations" (Full Length).

So, I think, now we are ready for tasting "Contemplations"

The Review

I will start the review in a different way. The album is very good piece, and enjoyable one, there is diversity of riffs, and movements that give your ears an impressive mood.

I divided the album through 3 sections: Long Progressive tracks, this class includes 2 tracks: Chains, and Wanderlust, the second class: the Spirituality of the Soul, it also includes 3 tracks: 22, Streetlight, and For the Accursed, and finally the last class which is the beauty of Doom Death music that includes 3 tracks: Catharsis, Unfulfilling Prophecy, and In Affect.

The First section - Long Progressive Tracks

As the subtitle expresses, this section includes 2 tracks, specifically: the first track of the album "Chains" and the last one "Wanderlust".

The length of each track is almost 9 minutes, so both of them carry the characterstics of Death Progressive music, beside some of the moments are more into Death/Doom Metal style. That means that Soliloquium managed to give the listener richer, and more catchy music, in addition the band could employ the blessings of the length of the tracks.

Firstly, "Chains", Chains is very rich track, it starts with catchy guitar tunes, then those tunes turn to be as alerting melodies with powerful, darkened sounds of Guitars, and drums.

In 2:08, the music's tempo is somehow slow downed closer Funeral Doom Metal influenced tempo for just few seconds. Starting from 2:44, the music takes you to the action again, growling with brutal.

3:29, it is another calm part, with slow tempo atmosphere, it is like an interlude of the fast, highly melodic music. The following parts are not big different for the main melodic parts of the track.

My favorite part is in the one starting from 7:29, it is a calm, magnificent part. The tunes of acoustic guitars, and Gothic like clean vocals form an enjoyable taste.

Regarding "Wanderlust", it also started with impressive guitar tunes, but the combining of the Growling and Brutal vocals is on the first vocal part in the track, also "Wanderlust" carries less movements, and musical diversity than "Chains", also it closes by classic, acoustic guitar sounds.

I liked "Wanderlust" more than chains, I felt its riffs are more impressive and catchy.

The Second Section - Spirituality of the Soul

I named those 3 tracks as Spirituality of the Soul because I felt that the riffs, and the riffs is deeper into the inner feelings of the person with all failures, frustration, and depression.

The first track in this section is "Streetlights" which is the only instrumental track in the album, the riffs of the track are like a portrait for the passing cars in the street, with their conflicted lights, in the same time you can touch the chaos, the noise, the confusion of a person who wandering in the streets to the nowhere.

The status of mind is somehow in a position between consciousness, and dream, between black, and white. The flow of memories, unstable thoughts are haunting the way of thinking.

"22" is a killing track, it is a beautiful simple. The opening tunes are closer to the taste of Post Rock/Post Metal sound, the sound of gloomy morning, the image of a depressed man laying on his bed watching all his past life before his eyes. Painful, tears bringer, but still sweet. If I could recommend one track of the album it would be "22", because the performance is great, and the clean vocals with this broken pitches is also great.

"For the Accursed" it carries the same Post mood of "22" but in more attractive way, the tunes of the track are more active, cheerful, and gives the soul some warmth, and beauty.

The vocal part is a small one, only one part at the end of the track.

The Final Section - The Beauty of Death Doom Metal music

The Final Section is including the most powerful, melodic, and dynamic 3 tracks: "Catharsis", "Unfulfilling Prophecy", and "In Affect".

In general, those three tracks carry the same characteristics as depending on alerting, and melodic riffs, clean vocals employment in certain parts with clean acoustic guitar sounds.

Starting with "Catharsis", it starts with a dynamic riffs, then it is followed by a beautiful clean vocals part with acoustic guitars. Shortly, the atmosphere of the music turned to an active Death Doom Metal music. The most dynamic part of the track is the final one.

"Unfulfilling Prophecy" is the harshest one within those 3 tracks, the first part of the track is somehow influenced with Funeral Doom Slow tempo, but starting from 2:50, the music is turned to be faster, and more catchy, it becomes more into headbanging.

In the middle of the track, there is a beautiful interlude of clean and clean guitar sounds.

The Final track is "In Affect", it follows the same style of the previous tracks, combining clean with growling, within a highly melodic musical parts. What's more special in this track, the employment of the guitar.

Conclusion

To sum up all this talk, the album is very enjoyable meal for the ears, if you Progressive Death Metal music, you will like "Chains", and Doom Metal passionate people will touch the catchy guitar tunes of the songs, and will feel excited through the highly melodic parts. 

I liked that the band make use of acoustic, clean guitar riffs, with the clean vocals to give the listeners more relief, and calmness.

Actually, the harmony is great between the instruments, but I wish that the band think of giving more space to acoustic sounds, and clean vocals, because Stefan Nordström's voice is great, I also recommend of the band thinking of producing an acoustic album with sounds of keys, and violins. 

Also, I hope the band gives more space to keys, and violin riffs, it will give the band's music more richness. 

Give "Contemplations" a listen guys, and support the talented Soliloquium!