Expiatoria
Shadows

THE REVIEW

Finally sees the light Shadows, the first album by the doom metal band ExpiatoriA, released by the historic Genoese label Black Widow along with Diamonds Prod. The group was actually formed back in 1987. For those who love the genre, we are undoubtedly faced with an album that will delight fans of Death SS and Paul Chain. Here, we also find involved some charismatic figures of the Italian rock and metal scene, such as the legendary bassist Diego Banchero (founder of the cult band Il Segno del Comando) and saxophonist Edmondo Romano in the short “The Asylum Of Dead”. Additionally, Raffaella Càngero (La Janara) features with her voice in “Ombra - Tenebra Part 2”, a track with a sulphurous and gothic atmosphere. There is also space for Freddy Delirio (Death SS) in “Seven Chairs And A Portrait”, characterized by a lugubrious organ intro reminiscent of the legendary Jacula. The opening track “When Darkness Fall” is very epic and dark in its progression, while “The Wrong Side Of Love” is sick and sepulchral. The concluding and long “Krieg My Last Song” begins calmly with acoustic guitars prominently featured before slowly and progressively moving towards muddy doom atmospheres. Shadows features only original tracks composed in recent years. Potentially, this album could appeal to many, from heavy metal and doom followers to those who love dark-prog. The voice of singer David Krieg is excellent and very intense, also the author of the dark-tinted lyrics that blend well with the overall “mood” of the work. Available on Bandcamp: https://expiatoria-official.bandcamp.com/album/shadows.