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Tracklist
1. Gravdans
2. Weary and Wretched
3. To the Fallen
4. Morphia
5. Now That I Die
6. The Funeral
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Doom with a capital D is what you'll hear on the latest release from Fallen. A slow, dismal affair which makes for the perfect accompaniment to a funeral procession, the tracks on 'A Tragedy's Bitter End' resonate with a lurching tone that is some of the slowest doom that you can possibly imagine. It really is amazing how music that is so painstakingly foreboding can also be so beautiful. Vocalist Kjetil Ottersen possesses a deep, bassy voice which is perfectly suited to Fallen's material. This group's music is highly atmospheric, murky and dense. Ottersen's keyboard work gives the music a ghostly aura that offsets the dragging, chunking guitar performance of Christian Loos. Playing this style of music can be much more difficult than one would be inclined to believe. Anders Eek does a fine job of holding the beat on these six compositions of mournful woe, which can be a daunting task as it is much easier to lose meter at 40 BPM. Mistakes become more prevalent, but his drumming maintains the tempo perfectly. With songs averaging around 12 minutes in length, it is more than easy for the listener to become lost in the grandeur of these epic compositions. The cover of this record is graced with some classic art that portrays the band's artistic vision brilliantly. The lyrical content delves into dark corners of human emotion and ponders philosophical questions on the track 'Morphia' which proclaims 'Could I dull it all by removing feeling? What would it be like? And, would the price be too high?' The shortest piece here, 'To The Fallen' features graceful piano and synthesized violin that capture the essence of a mournful spirit and remain remarkably brilliant. On the track 'Now That I Die', Fallen undertake an approach that sounds like incredibly slow Sabbath musically, a virtual epitome of sonic despair. For those who wish to take part in the somber strains of this style of music, Fallen have manifested the most soul stirring echoes of doom imaginable here on 'A Tragedy's Bitter End'. This is an inspiring, remarkable release that places this trio at the forefront of the genre without question. Do yourself a favor and experience this compelling release for yourself, for it is nothing less than the perfect doom album.
Review by: Erin Fox
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