Abysmal Grief
Misfortune

The Italian underground in the realm of the subterranean genre of doom metal has always set the example, and if any confirmation is needed, the name Paul Chain would be more than sufficient.

Among the noteworthy groups that have followed in the footsteps of the early Death SS, Paul Chain, and Mortuary Drape, we find the Genoese Abysmal Grief, distinguished by the depth of occult themes centered on relationships with the Afterlife.

The band predominantly revolves around the dark figure of Regen Graves, initiated into the world of occultism by Mario di Donato, who with his "The Black" represents one of the historical pillars of the genre.

After various demos, Abysmal Grief debuted with an excellent eponymous record, then recorded in 2009 Misfortune, the second and for the moment last full-length of the band, which I will discuss in this review. The lineup is pretty much the same as the first album:

Regen Graves on guitar (The Funeral Priest)

Labes C. Necrothytus on vocals and keyboards (The Undertaker)

Lord Alastair on bass (The Black Friar)

Alexander Baël on drums (The Medium)

With the introductions concluded, let's move on to the content of the work, which opens with Ignis Fatuus, where at the start you hear a wrenching Dies Irae borrowed from The Seventh Seal, preceding the sudden onset of a gloomy, funeral, and simultaneously martial guitar riff, perfectly fitting for its simplicity. From the outset, the band's dark sound penetrates the brain, making it hard to forget. Each track can be defined as a funeral march, hypnotic due to the repetitive riffs but with an atmosphere that is utterly heavy and claustrophobic. Necrothytus’ voice also stands out with its dark baritone singing, which gives the tracks a religious and ritual aura.

Crypt of Horror is already telling by its name: the track begins with the sinister approach of footsteps followed by a creaking iron gate closing and then embarks on the most tormenting riff of the album, accompanied by a funeral bell and a memorable dark-style keyboard sequence in the concluding part. A video of this track is easily accessible on YouTube.

After The Arrival of the Worm with its text recited in Latin (in the style of The Black), we arrive at the penultimate track among the most grandiloquent, titled The Knells Accurse, entirely instrumental and very stimulating for the imagination.

Finally, the long Resurrecturis guides us through the purple veil, giving us all the time to reflect on the passage of life and to capture a secret sense of reality that only the dead know.

When the CD is over, the ceremonial candles are extinguished, and you go to sleep dreaming of a beautiful medieval cemetery where pagan forces are perpetually at work. One thing is certain: there are very few albums capable of evoking a sepulchral scenario of the proportions present in Misfortune.

Recommended for lovers of classy horror, those with an obscure mind, and fans of old-school doom. It's a niche genre, but I think it’s clear without needing to say so.

Forget guitar solos, as there is only one in the entire album in the first track, but it’s still very good and by no means commonplace.