Transcending Obscurity is not releasing just one exquisite funeral doom album now but two. Next to Chalice of Suffering’s sophomore effort, Australia’s Illimitable Dolor’s second offering has also seen the light.

The band name is a composition of the English “illimitable”, meaning “without limits” and the Latin word for “pain”. So more or less something like “Neverending  Grief”.‘Leaden Light’ is a huge professional step up compared to the self-titled debut, released two years ago.

Everything about it just breaths an air of class.  First of all, you have the stunning artwork-of which they incidentally have three versions-depending on which format you choose. My personal favorite is the one for the double LP. The label is known for putting a lot of attention to the artwork and the whole package, but they really pulled out all the stops on this one. Especially the very limited LP box is a true gem.

Even though the band is relatively new, its individual members are definitely scene veterans:  Dan Garcia, Yonn McLaughlina and Stuart Prickett are part of The 3rd and the Mortal like outfit The Slow Death, while Prickett himself has been part of the sadly defunct  Elysium/Stone Wings and even played a short stint with Mournful Congregation.

You can make a number of comparisons to the latter. Both congregations share a profound love for vast epic songs carried on slow sorrowful melodies. Illimitable Dolor, however tends to nurture the relation between the riffs and the synths a bit more. They also have that wobbly, expansive guitar tone that goes back all the way to Thergothon’s classic sound, but more polished.

These guys from down have a really good understanding of how to make a decent doom song. They take a  thrifty approach where every note counts and uses the space in between the notes rather than swears up the entire spectrum in an impenetrable wall of sound.

Each of the slow burning songs takes its time to unfold its subtle secrets. A lot of attention has gone into the small variances and details. With every listen you’ll discover some new nuance.

‘Leaden Light’ is  jewel of funereal death doom that should be cherished as one of the finer genre releases of this year.

Release date: March 20 2019
Label: Transcending Obscurity
Tracklist:

1. Armed He Brings The Dawn
2. Soil She Bears
3. Horses Pale and Four
4. Leaden Light Her Coils
5. 2.12.14