Some years ago, it made headlines that the clay soil in the West Flemish region of Kortrijk and Zwevegem is capable of causing houses to crack. Back then, drought was the cause. Currently, we aren’t exactly experiencing drought – quite the opposite – but cracked houses in that area might make the news again, this time due to the heavy doom-death from Columbarium, originating from that same clay. No melancholic laments but an organic, heavy, and lumbering debut, more Candlemass and Black Sabbath than My Dying Bride, more blues than melancholy played in minor key. Filled with occult atmosphere – a columbarium, by the way, is a wall of urns at a cemetery – The Morbidious One debuts, dooming on with the occasional excursion into death metal territory. Released at the end of September but, apparently, inexplicably eluded me. Glad I hadn’t submitted my year-end list yet, what an album!
The witch-like spoken words by Tabasco Esmee (from Tyrant’s Kall), heralding the opener Eyes Bleed Black, make that occult atmosphere flow out of the speakers from the very start. Soon drums, bass, and guitar follow, engulfing you in a fantastic wall of sound, consisting of a simple but incredibly effective doom riff. A low lead weaving beautifully throughout the riff creates moments of harmony while you have no choice but to sway along to the music. Singer and bassist Pete makes his appearance after about a minute and a half, boasting a fairly intelligible grunt that sometimes carries more grit and at other times more rasp, perfectly complementing the music. Midway, during the calm interlude, the witch-like voice returns, supported by a variation on the opening melody, with a beautiful role for the bass guitar. She concludes her text with an incredible scream, as the metallic instrumentation kicks back in. What a fantastic moment!
It’s hard to put into words what precisely makes the music so amazing for me. Right from the first listen, the thought crossed my mind that the drums, guitar, and bass play off each other in an almost symbiotic way. This is enhanced by the production, courtesy of Lander Cluyse (Hearse Studio), which suits perfectly what Columbarium brings, particularly emphasizing the bass guitar. The album sounds very organic and natural, and I could keep listening to these riffs – this will by far be my most listened-to doom album of the year, and it’s only been making its rounds since the beginning of this month.
The opening track of The Morbidious One is already a strong one, but for me, the roofs of those cracked houses are completely blown off by the title track that follows. Not through fast parts full of fury or breakdowns, but by a riff that at the same time, along with slow and heavy, inescapable hits, reduces even their foundations to useless crumbs. Eerie whispers and atmospheric sounds lead into the song, and then it arrives: the Riff (yes, this one deserves a capital letter). Initially on its own, and then drums and bass fall in in unison. After a few repetitions, the Riff is played slightly higher, an approach we encounter more often. But then Columbarium returns to the opening notes and lays an additional heavy, phenomenal bass carpet underneath the Riff to make it even more dragging. Magnificent.
Like in most tracks, the title track features longer instrumental parts. The vocals appear after about two and a half minutes, but then they do make an impact. Shortly after, the music is complemented by subtle, atmosphere-enhancing keyboards, transitioning into a calm interlude. This peace is abruptly interrupted, however, and the band viciously lunges at you in a faster, dare I say, swinging death metal tempo. And although this album is situated in the slower spectrum of our beloved genre, Columbarium still manages to surprise: just listen to how the band returns to the slower tempo afterwards or how the Riff seamlessly comes back after an amazing wah-wah guitar solo.
After the first two massive doom feasts (which, by the way, clock in at more than eight and nine minutes respectively), the more compact Rivers Of Blood follows, where Pete’s vocals take up a larger role. It turns out that he isn’t adverse to a strong scream either. In the second half of the track, the intensity drops a bit while the drums continue calmly. The simple yet tension-building piano is a prime example of ‘less is more’. Similarly, the occasional grunt in the second half of Redemption, on top of the double bass drum, without exaggeration, creates a splendid imitation of rumbling thunder. Redemption also features some faster passages (although speed is a relative thing in doom discussions), once again demonstrating what I mentioned earlier regarding the symbiosis of the instruments: my entire body from head to toe is taken along with the music.
Barefoot On The Moon, an atmospheric instrumental piece of music lasting just over a minute, suddenly emphasizes the feeling of melancholy. The break in style is explained by the fact that this wasn’t just performed but also written by Michelle Nocon (Of Blood And Mercury and formerly Bathsheba and Serpent Cult). But it is a beautiful piece and after a few listens it all fits into the whole. With Our Glorious Ways, one of the most varied tracks on the album, the doom returns completely. With a slightly faster tempo than the first half of the album, the riffs roll more, pushing the boundaries between doom and death further. Midway through – and not for the first time – we’re treated to the sensation that an impending dark ritual is about to take place and you can clearly hear how amazing the bass sounds. During the restart into the by-now familiar swinging doom, we hear a few impressive, well-placed raspy screams. The Morbidious One closes with the instrumental A Cure For Everything/Get Back Alive?, a real and dynamic doom riff-o-rama during which we hear Columbarium at their fastest.
As far as I’m concerned, this is the doom album of the year. I have been listening to it for weeks. Ironically, the length of this review mainly shows how difficult it is to put into words what Columbarium achieves here. It’s elusive because it completely permeates me. Music is personal, of course, but I believe there’s a great chance that The Morbidious One, you, dear reader, will also captivate you and perhaps find a place on your year-end list. You already sent us, you say? Don’t hesitate to let us know if this album also deserves a spot on your year-end list!
Score:
91/100
Label:
Argonauta Records, 2023
Tracklisting:
- Eyes Bleed Black
- The Morbidious One
- Rivers Of Blood
- Redemption
- Barefoot On The Moon
- Our Glorious Ways
- A Cure For Everything/Get Back Alive?
Line-up:
- Koen Biesbrouck – Guitar, keyboards
- Marc “Markie” Vangheluwe – Guitar
- Vincent “Mille” Millecam – Drums
- Pete Jules V. – Bass, vocals
Links: