Skepticism
Stormcrowfleet

1995: already far from the artistic/creative peak reached by extreme metal, which can be summed up in the increasingly fast and minimal triad of Death/Grind/Black, we find ourselves in a relatively deficient period where, with the various styles set by skilled masters, excellent bands step forward, pushing the pedal to the metal to attempt "fame".

This was also what happened to Skepticism. However, in a very short time, they decided that the path taken was not suitable for them; thus, they abandoned the idea of traditional "Death Metal", starting to increasingly associate it with "Doom".

What emerged was impressive, "Stormcrownfleet" was a pivotal album of that nascent movement, which would later become known as "Funeral Doom Metal".

The album opens with "Sign of the Storm", a very long ode to the storm, where a very dark growling enchants us with almost psalmodic verses, while the backdrop of distorted guitar paints cemetery landscapes, full of heavy and evocative atmospheres, meanwhile the whole is held together by a rhythm section so simple, slow, measured, and effective.

However, all this was not enough, the true touch of class, which still distinguishes the group from most similar bands, lies in a predictable yet unusual choice to place, as a constant, the organ as the main accompaniment.

The album proceeds, very consistently, on its path; hardly in the tracks do we find memorable peaks or imaginative arrangements.

The result is excellent; if you're looking for an album with silent, sacred, transcendent atmospheres, to listen to in one breath, this album is definitely for you.

I recommend it to fans of bands like Funeral, Sunn O))), Utarm, or more generally to fans of subgenres like "Depressive", "Drone" or specifically "Funeral". For everyone else, avoid it!