The Maledict – Remembrance
Release Date: 29th August 2021
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Doom/Death.
FFO: Opeth, Eternal Tears Of Sorrow, Sorrowful Land, Ocean Of Grief.
Review By: Martha Skourteli
The Maledict is an Australian band which was formed in Victoria in 2012. It’s the creation of Ian McLean (songwriter, guitarist, vocalist) who’s the mastermind of the band and bassist Stuart McCarthy. Remembrance is their second self released full length album and it’s coming out in digital format and a limited number of CDs on the 29th of August.
The term Melodic Doom/Death is ideally served by The Maledict who can be considered a great representative of the genre. The melodies found in all songs alternate with purely death metal parts and are dressed with poetic lyrics that deal with the experience of nostalgia (νοσταλγία), i.e. the pain of longing to return back home, coming from the Greek words “nostos” (νόστος) which means “missing going back home” and “algos” (άλγος) that means pain.
Like the band explains better, “it’s the realizations that come with maturity that the blissful innocence of childhood is brought only by the hecatomb suffered voluntarily by every parent to shield their young from staring down the same abyss they face every day”. In my opinion that’s a different way to show appreciation to the people that did their best for you, a different “thank you”.
Under the lyrics of most songs, Ian McLean has added a few lines of thoughts related to his lyrics. That’s definitely something I haven’t come across before and it’s worth mentioning.
Interesting addition to the well-made artwork is some baby photos (I’m guessing it’s the band members) plus some kid’s drawings that are of course related to the general idea the band portrays.
The majority of songs have long intros of up to 3 minutes. Each singing part, whether it’s clean vocals or growls, definitely fits the part of the song it appears in and the lyrics it covers. The singer, being the lyricist, is not just singing but is really adding the necessary feelings to his voice, with an almost theatrical approach at times, that is successfully mirrored to the listener.
Remembrance. Piano, guitar and shooting drums welcome us with an intro that’s very powerful, very melodic and would be a grandiose opening in a concert. The melody is painting non stop next to vocals I couldn’t get enough of. The last almost 1 minute is bringing a blackened touch to a song that is one of my 4 (!!) favorites in the album.
Dolor Nil Finis. The Latin expression meaning pain never ends. Starting with piano again and a guitar loading to guide the melody. Some well added ethereal female voice in the background fits so well with the male vocals at the front whether clean or growls. My 2nd favorite song as it is dark and majestic!
Forever Adrift. These guys combine different things in their songs so in this one we have also some spoken vocals changing to the very good clean expressive ones we heard already in the album (usually I prefer growls or screams in songs but well, in this album I loved the clean singing without putting second the growls and screams). Yes, this is surely my 3rd favorite song and it’s probably gonna be the favorite of everybody that will listen.
The Maledict I. Half way in the song a tapping riff starts that lasts for a bit over 2 very well spent minutes and it’s followed by more expressive melody that bridges the next song, The Maledict II.
The Maledict II is the second and final chapter that evolves and strengthens even more the dynamic of The Maledict I to complete it in an almost monumental way.
Porous. There is obviously some inspiration from Opeth. The Maledict will easily attract this audience with Porous.
Skies of Static shows the point humans have reached with actual life and truth having surrendered to online reality. Ideas, beliefs, minds are all formed by what’s shared through our screens, easily swallowed and digested by whoever needs somebody else’s opinion to adopt and then shamelessly reproduce and spread without any brain cells occupied. A meaningful song which is definitely food for thought.
The River Ophidian. The outro song is the longest and it’s a very descriptive story that appeared in a 100% purely doom atmosphere. Great way to finish the album and my 4th favorite without still being sure which of the 4 I like the most.
Eight very well composed songs that went through a lot of thinking and processing for 5 years to reach this excellent result. A self released album that can easily stand equally next to big label releases in terms of quality and production!
(5 / 5)
