Band: Comatose Vigil Country: Moscow, Russia
Style: Funeral Doom Metal
Label: Solitude Productions
I can't believe it's been six years since "Not A Gleam of Light" was first released, even though I hadn't even heard of the band five years ago. Back when I was first getting into funeral doom, I found all the bigger named bands first, then started looking into more underground groups was when I found this group. That full-length was quite highly regarded within the funeral doom community, if you could call it that, and they've been one of the bands that I actually kept when I was through the phase of listening to every band tagged with that genre.
Now, if you don't like anything about funeral doom, don't bother looking into this because this won't change your mind. This is slow, brooding, droning, doom metal that takes over an hour to reach completion; and by the way, there are only three tracks, all of which top the twenty minute mark. Each of these songs contain funeral doom trademarks, and they really don't branch into new territory on here. If you're a long time fan of the genre, you really don't have to worry about much, this album pretty much sticks to that trademark sound that was on their last full-length without changing it too much. The title-track, Fuimus, Non Sumus, pretty much relies on the traditional sounds and trappings of the funeral doom sound, both to it's advantage and it's disadvantage. Long songs are something that every fan of the genre should have no problem with, and I don't, but to me, these tracks feel like they go on too long, either not a whole lot is happening to make the track justify it's length or it just goes past it's natural conclusion for some reason, The Day Heaven Wept was all good until the last four minutes kept the track droning on and on.
If you're wondering how the band have improved since their last full-length, I can tell you that for the most part, their sound remains untouched. Essentially, the only thing the trio has evolved in is their use of synthe to create atmospheres. The debut, great as it is, was a bit cheesy in terms of the synthe used, on here, there's a greater emphasis on having almost orchestral accompaniment to the droning guitars. No longer are rather dull and uninspired keyboards the background, what's on here has a lore more of a symphonic edge to it, but isn't as cheesy as that might sound. This isn't to say that what's on here is a real orchestra, because what's on here certainly retains the sound from a synthesizer, it's just performed and arranged a lot more epically.
In the end, I did kind of feel a little bored by this album, the songs on here were a bit too long for me and just kind of started droning on for no reason. I really wish I liked this more but unfortunately this thing bored me quite a bit. If you liked their debut, definitely check this out, maybe you'll get into more than I have, or if you like funeral doom.
Overall Score: 5.5
Highlights: The Day Heaven Wept
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