In Mourning
Monolith

In the end, it's the same old story. It's often convenient to hide and protect yourself in the shadow of a figure larger than you; however, when the moment or desire to emerge and shine with your own light arrives, the darker the shadow, the harder the obstacle will be. The Swedes In Mourning know this well, as after an excellent debut album ("Shrouded Divine") and numerous comparisons to Opeth, they produce a work that allows them to make a remarkable leap in quality: "Monolith."

However, take note: remarkable, not definitive. In fact, even though the melancholy and decadence overshadow the melody, the influence of Åkerfeldt's band permeates every track of the album, immense and immobile like the monolith on the cover. The other main influence comes from Katatonia (in the songwriting and the germination of Doom that infiltrates some tracks - see "With You Came Silence" and "The Final Solution"). Yet, In Mourning are not just a simple and pleasant concoction of a thousand different groups but a very promising band that is beginning to conquer a distinctive sound.

"Monolith" opens with what is probably the best track by In Mourning, "For You To Know," where singer Tobias Netzell showcases his admirable versatility, ranging from classic growl to clean vocals, passing through metalcore-style scream. The soft parts effectively counterbalance the roaring fury, and the instruments envelop the listener, dragging them from start to finish. Essentially, "Monolith" moves along these lines, except for the final track, "The Final Solution": agreed that we're in Prog-death territory, but its length (over 12 minutes) turns out to be excessive and tedious: the only donut without a hole in the album.

"Monolith" is a commendable and flowing work, a changing and unstoppable stream capable of putting a smile on the faces of fans and intriguing enthusiasts of the genre and metal in general. However, despite an impeccable performance, that quid extra is still expected from the Swedes to silence the critics. But if these are the premises, there is much to hope for.