review: SKEPTICISM "STORMCROWFLEET" :review

Skepticism "Stormcrowfleet"
Release year: 1995

1.  Sign of a Storm
2.  Pouring
3.  By Silent Wings
4.  The Rising of the Flames
5.  The Gallant Crow
6.  The Everdarkgreen

Funeral doom.  Not the most popular genre.  When you tell people that genre name that don;t listen to it, they will automatically assume the weirdest.  Yes, it is a weird genre name but try finding a different name for a sub-genre filled with slow, crushing doom that is filled to the brim with sad atmosphere.  After the initial explaining comes the usual question of "WHY listen to it when it's nothing but really slow, sad, doom??!?!?" and the assumption that the listener is really screwed in the mind.  It's not the most pleasant of music, and the genre has it's fair share of boring bands, but some of the them are so incredible at their skill that they are the exception to the boring bands.  This band is without a doubt one of the best.

The thing is, the music is about as sorrowful as it gets but it is done so well that I don't really pay attention to the sorrow.  This band is soooo incredible at songwriting that it doesn't matter how rain-drenched the atmosphere is.  Sure, the atmosphere is vital and goes together perfectly with the music but it doesn't make me feel sad, depressed or woeful.  When I listen to this bands work, it's more of amazement than sorrow.  If any album out there that is closest to perfect, it is this album.

Basically, they are a four piece band with session players for the bass.  The band consists of a drummer, guitarist, vocalist and an organ/keyboard/synth player.  Most of the music centers around slow, booming drums, dark, lingering riffwork, whispered death-metal-style vocals, and organs/keyboards.  The thing is, not one member stands out from the other.  They all have equal parts that fit together so perfectly that it is really astonishing to my ears.  There is no wasted riff, no unbalance between parts.  Everything fits like a perfect puzzle.  The guitar riffs are excellent, and dance perfectly with the organs.  The drums have a monolithic sound, and the cymbals have a beautiful sound to them.  The vocals are unforced, un-overbearing and sound like a ghosts last haunting words before they passed over. 

I must stress though, that the guitar and organ partnership is immaculate on this album.  They don't try to overplay the other, steal the show, or falter.  They fit together so well that this band would not survive without the organist and guitarist being so synchronized with each other.  It really is spectacular work. 

Every song is amazing and has it's own flavor to it.  Every one has excellent songwriting to keep interest through the whole song, with some parts dropping so much atmosphere on the listener that it is a perfect execution of songwriting excellency.  This album has a ton of atmosphere and the production is in the spotlight of it.  Very bass-y, low-end with a sound to it like they recorded the album in some catacombs somewhere.

Overall, one of my absolute favorites and a pinnacle to my album collection.  For a good first listen to grasp the bands sound, I would recommend "The Everdarkgreen".