Mourning Beloveth
Dust
Sentinel, 2002

One of few bands to emerge in the latter half of the 1990s displaying honest and firm understanding of spirit and expression of DoomMetalAesthetic, Mourning Beloveth bring to life thundering monoliths of human emotional suffering and mental anguish of hopeless yearning that is the condition of existence. This Irish act are a shameless product of their musical inspirations, namely the early 1990s British triumvirate Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema who collectively, though to varying individual degrees, combined the slothlike foundational structure of Black Sabbath with Gothic majesty in an effort to portray hopelessness through a channel of simultaneous tragic beauty and existential futility. While not granting innovation to their expressions, either through failing in their attempt or indifference to the idea, Mourning Beloveth accomplish a high degree of success in establishing the misty-eyed melancholy and greyskied autumnal evening atmosphere essential to providing the appropriate effects of this kind of music.

Song structure is lugubrious and the work as a whole is suffocating, yet Dust escapes burdening its audience with tediousness. Through repetition Mourning Beloveth envelope the listener in a fog of despondency that is received as an embrace of empathy by those who have formed connections to art of such dejection. The band works through a series of melodic riffs and slow, crushing percussion towards a ponderous articulation of worldly suffering. Lengthy exercises of repeated phrases develop and sustain flowing atmosphere while vocals are delivered with a variety of expressions allowing the material a sense of character it otherwise most possibly would have been incapable of acquiring. The yearning "clean" vocalizations provide this music with a richness and honesty that most similar works fail to achieve. It is the work of these vocals alongside the deep, agonizing growls and occasional desperate screams that, along with the mesmerizing melodic phrasing of the guitar harmonies and the band’s general understanding of effective DoomMetal construction, lift this album to its impressive status.

With "The Mountains Are Mine" and "Autumnal Fires", Mourning Beloveth have crafted twin towers of monumental DoomMetal majesty. It is within these two compositions of desolate beauty where the band reaches their collective creational peak. Both of these weary hymns are treated with such regal vocal phrasings of pleading desperation and soulgripping despair as well as an elegant assembly of mournful harmonies and atmospheres, placing these works alongside the subgenre’s most historical moments. Should the band dig as deep as they have to assemble such masterworks as these on a consistent level on future efforts, the effects could potential become devastating.

This is a re-release of the debut originally released early 2001. Added to this version are "It Almost Looked Human", an unmixed track set to appear on the following The Sullen Sulcus, and "Forever Lost Emeralds" taken from the 1998 Autumnal Fires demo. Dust is an essential experience for those who appreciate sorrowful, well-conceived and executed Doom in the tradition of Anathema’s Crestfallen/Serenades, if for no other reason than the two astounding tracks discussed in the above paragraph.

7/18/04

Tracklisting

Mourning Beloveth
The Sullen Sulcus
Aftermath, 2002

A sonically heavier and angrier work than Dust, The Sullen Sulcus works from a more riff-oriented assault as opposed to the abstract vacancy used to develop and sustain the atmospheric effects of the debut. Increasing the suffocation by thickening the layers of sound, this material grips the throat of its audience with a wrath that was merely hinted at on Dust, an album that emphasized its grip on the soul while pulling on heartstrings. This is DoomDeath which remains attentive to the basic strengths and characteristics of Heavy Metal’s traditional components, rather than drift into a mist of ambience, in turn becoming something other than its foundational origins. These songs are more intricately involved and do not rely on heavy use of atmospheric elements and emotional pull to arrive at a destination. This is certainly not to say that these aspects have been drowned out of Mourning Beloveth’s sound, as they remain a vital component to the construction and achievement of this work. Here, there is more to allow the music its solidity.

The music is of an epic nature. Tragedy forms the spirit of much of this material, and the pace remains languid despite the more complex structures of these songs. The decrease of emotional penetration and autumnal atmosphere causes the work to lean on its basic sonic elements a bit too frequently. The despair and yearning expressions that were transported from the music within the listener on Dust does not carry a similar weight here. Mental torment and the frustration of existence form the soul of this creation, and as a result of the passion with which these conditions are expressed, the music is not in danger of becoming merely slow Death Metal, a common failing of much DoomDeath. It is a music that is born out of the desperate need to relinquish an inner anguish that threatens to destroy the spirit. Purpose driven music, for sure, yet perhaps not as strongly tapped into as their first official attempt.

The band develops a firmer sense of identity on The Sullen Sulcus. It appears, while taking this work in as an experience, that Mourning Beloveth have managed to channel their individual suffering as a source of primary inspiration to creating music, rather than their musical influences. Existence has risen above adulation, and the material functions with a healthy amount of confidence in purpose and destination. As with all successful works within this artform, the music carries with it an ageless aura. As long as there are those who suffer and appreciate the expression of misery through sonic weight, this music will never lose its significance. The essence is of greater importance than the mechanical framework. Indeed, it is for this reason that the works of a band such as Black Sabbath has transcended time. The struggle of life knows no such limits. This perhaps stands as DoomMetal’s most reliable truth, the very lifeblood of its existence.

Unfortunately, none of these six compositions approach the epic gandeur of Dust’s "The Mountains Are Mine" and "Autumnal Fires", though opener "The Words That Crawled" comes close. Memorable moments are scarce and the dynamics the band mastered so adequately previously are not as prominent on this effort. This has much to do with the heavier sonic approach and less reliance on splendorous atmospheres. The Sullen Sulcus is a solid work for Mourning Beloveth. It sees the band accomplish a stronger identity and a suffocating presence. The album succeeds in its fulfillment of purpose and direction. Because they firmly understand what makes this music powerful (feeling) it seems unlikely they would allow the most vital elements to slip from future efforts. At times, they get dangerously close to doing just that here. There is no reason not to expect anything less than a DoomMetalMasterpiece from Mourning Beloveth next time around.

7/18/04

Tracklisting

1. The Words That Crawled
2. It Almost Looked Human
3. The Insolent Caul
4. Narcissistic Funeral
5. My Sullen Sulcus
6. Anger’s Steaming Arrows

Mourning Beloveth Discography