Hail The Void – Memento Mori

 

Hail The Void – Memento Mori
Ripple Music – 2023
Rock, Doom, Metal, Psych, Alternative
Rated: *****

After that two-minute opening intro track called Mind Undone and the seven-minute-long doom inspired, gothic infused, noir rocking metal stomper Writing On The Wall the most surprising influence you might hear is that the Victoria, British Columbia three Hail The Void actually sound a bit like Greenleaf once that third track Goldwater rolls around. It might just be because of the vocals and the way they rise and fall in a similar fashion as Arvid Hällagård often does, but still, we can hear a bit more of that Greenleaf, Hällagård and Holappa touch a bit later on, on their new album Memento Mori as well. So, why not immediately mention that Serpens South track in that case, with the guitar lines, the way they hang and drift on top of each other and during those parts the vocals once again glide and slide across it much like one might hear in certain Greenleaf songs. You shall not mistaken them for the Swedes of course, for the Hail The Void three colorize that Green into something much darker and doomier. Darker, doomier, often like a gothic murder novel put to music or a radio play accompanied by heavy rock and twisted metal. The narration sung instead of spoken. Ominous, brooding and threatening, fitting exceptionally well with the tales being told, the eight tracks keep you completely engaged and wide-eyed for what comes next. On some level a lot of the music sits dead center in everything you might expect from a doom metal band, but those extra touches, flourishes, and influences, make Memento Mori an extremely memorable and wild album. The three of them manage to occupy every part of the song, without making it sound cluttered or too dense, in fact, the smokey sound often seems to clear for a moment to let either drums, guitar or bass shine just a tad bit more. Just check out that middle part of Talking To The Dead for a guitar solo that illustrates it perfectly, and while you are checking it out, hear how vocalist Kirin Gudmundson seems to be able to do so much with his voice. Just another highlight track, followed by another one called High And Rising. A portentous bass opening, rain, and a shoveling sound, the slow ringing guitar and then the drums come in, thundering it all towards an even bigger explosion that never comes; and in that restraint, lies pure beauty… Like a fast descending, winter storm, giving the perfect amount of privacy to enjoy that solitary activity… And that once again, fits perfectly with overall arc of Memento Mori. On their sophomore album Hail The Void already sounds like a band arrived at their destination; and with that knowledge, it’s almost fearsome to think about what they might accomplish next. They might be able to get away with murder by the time we hear that third album…

 

(Written by JK)

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