Asphodelus‘ sophomore invokes the likes of Katatonia, Anathema and October Tide with their melodic guitar lines that still hold the essence and the musical identity of the band’s debut album. The atmosphere simply carries a mournful dirge, and they have uniquely managed to entwine melancholic and dismal, passionate lead guitars by showcasing an ability to sway the mid-tempo pace to slow sections. The tone of the vocals surges from harsh growling to a wailing poetic melody that is often accompanied by ambient keyboards like on the opening track ‘Waterside’.

Asphodelus doesn’t play the typical death doom style of music, rather the Finnish band emphasizes a sorrowful atmosphere layered with lush guitar melodies. While the songs often follow a remarkable rhythm, they beautifully flow into each other. This time harsh vocalist, bassist and guitarist Jari Flippu was joined by guest vocalist Lassi Salminen (Distant Stares) for some occasional clean vocal lines, his soaring vocals on ‘Fallen Dreamer’ steers the rhythm to encompass the listener into some kind of hypnotic state that creates a gloomy mood.

For those who are familiar with the band’s aesthetics, Asphodelus wonderfully creates plenty of memorable moments: the towering lead guitars are enough to enthrall the ears, and the textured synth will leave you breathless due to the dark archaic atmosphere that gives the songs a sense of nostalgic flavor. The drums are perfectly executed, and they provide the backdrop for the surreal music in empowering the cadence and the weight of the riffs.

The guitar structures are coherent, and they wonderfully enhance the album’s melancholic feel by fusing some acoustic guitar passages and ethereal synth in such an elegant manner. However, there is a richness in the guitar riffs that balances the flow of the music and the somber opening of the track ‘Life Painted Vermilion’ ,which begins with a slow melancholic tone, is enough to haunt your soul. The melodies are deep through the uplifting rhythm and provide an epic feel before the tempo descends into a slow lament, painting a gothic portrait of a lost, forgotten era.

‘Monuments of Deception’ is a standout piece of performance from these Finns. Majestic guitar work that crafts a darker and ambient sort of atmosphere. The echo of the growls seems to blend well into the texture that has a somber and melancholic quality. Musically, ‘Sculpting From Time’ continues in the gothic and gloomy characteristic style, embracing the classic style of early Katatonia and Amorphis. The guitar melodies and the keyboards are very catchy. Asphodelus also brings some interesting elements to the mix and dedicates their sublime craft to the sound of early nineties gothic doom/death.

Whereas ‘World of Hollow’ has a captivating guitar work in the opening moments. Especially, when the acoustic guitars contrast with the clean vocals, they clearly show the aesthetics of the band in combining well-crafted textures. The uplifting guitar section of Joonas Rantala truly provides beautiful depth to the cadence and gives the song an ambient sound despite its simplicity. The dark, gothic spectacle of ‘Where Sirens Wept’ then unveils the most epic and staggering approach to songwriting. The subtle use of the ambient synth brings the classic vibe of Katatonia, but they also have similarities to the Hellenic style of black metal.

While the tracks on the album range from a slower pace to mid-tempo, which in my opinion is very unique, the cascading growls are the icing on the cake as they create a breathtaking melancholic atmosphere throughout. The instrumental track ‘Moon In Pisces’ contains acoustic guitars and poignant female vocals that sound like a mourning siren. This short intermezzo somehow brings diversity to the album.

Asphodelus sculpts its niche in the realm of gothic doom in such a brilliant and nostalgic fashion. In the final epic track ‘Sculpting the Time’ the heavy riffing portrays a sort of crushing dark quality. The track blends in with the morose tone of the lamenting growls, and the crushing sound of the rumbling riffs. The most dramatic part of this seven minutes track comes when the growls and the soaring female vocals are combined into a majestic duet.

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