Artist: Lacrimas Profundere
Title: How To Shroud Yourself With Night
Genre: Gothic Rock / Gothic Metal
Release Date: 26th August 2022
Label: SPV / Steamhammer
Album Review
With autumn being on the threshold and the club season in sight, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE are releasing an album that is so versatile, that it will not only fit the dark season but will gain the band a bunch of festival next summer, too.
When I gave the album a first spin, I was heading for M’era Luna festival and accused my CD changer of giving me PARADISE LOST instead of LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE, but as soon as I heard the vocals, I realized, that there was nothing wrong with the CD changer; the band had just decided to write a kind of homage to a band that influenced the band’s songwriter Oliver Nikolas Schmidt ever since. I had expected everything, but not a massive wall of Doom building up at 4am on the highway. To be honest, this opener made my curious, had the band only done a brief detour and then strived to continue the path they had taken previously that led to the highly acclaimed album ‘Bleeding The Stars’ or would there be a completely new soundscape? This heavy Doom song that comes with intense and heavy riffing that sometimes reminded me of old DIMMU BORGIR stuff vocal-wise is definitely an interesting combination of many influences on the heavy side, while Julian Larre gives them a fresh touch with a very versatile performance.
‘A Cloak Woven Of Stars’ was the band’s first single from the upcoming album starts with some brute guitar riffing to lead over into a powerful Goth Rock song, with some catchy Doom elements, pay attention to the vocals and you might spot something that sounds like early MARILYN MANSON and then switches back to the style ‘Father Of Fate’ established. Fans who like the bands previous album will fall for ‘Nebula’ as it picks up the songs mood but weaves many elements of sound and vocals into a massive pattern that fans of the genre will enjoy for sure. ‘In A Lengthening Shadow’ comes with a soundscape that might remind the listener of HIM in their very doom prone days, while some of the keyboard elements remind the author of some early day HIM songs, the fact that the vocals the drums are a bit reduced in this song makes it a solid Goth Rock one.
‘The Curtain Of White Silence’ is one of the most fascinating songs on this album, it comes with so many layers and aspects, that you have to listen through it several times. You will find elements that are almost trademark PARADISE LOST mixed with melodic elements, while the beat is sometimes worth a mix into a Hardcore song, to find them you have to give the song several spins and then there are those intense lyrics that sometimes hiding behind the wall of sound just to race straight forward and craving the listeners attention. The author is curious if this song might be turned into a soundtrack one day. If you love the Gothic dancefloor, skip the intro songs and head straight for track No. six called ‘Unseen’. The song comes with an amazing groove and will work on the dancefloor as well as in the clubs as it offers sequences that are perfect for some neck muscle workouts for the metalheads, while the chorus invites the audience to sing along.
‘The Vastness Of Infinity’ comes with a beautiful lead guitar riff, the drums remain rather in the background for this albums standards and that gives the song a wonderful melancholic Rock attitude. ‘To Disappear In You’ is a sharp contrast to it, as it starts with a powerful intro and then picks up even more speed on the rhythm side and vocalist Julian Larre switches between screams, shouts, growls and clear singing and some of the songs elements remind the author of CHILDREN OF BODOM, it will be the highlight of a live performance for sure. ‘An Invisible Beginning’ will see the Goth dance on the club floor as well but also comes with great guitar work and a catchy chorus for the fans that makes it an excellent Goth Rock song.
The band continues their new and unconventional way to the last tune, to make the title track the last one on an album is quite rare. The last song? Yes the last song, and one that is definitely on the heavy side, the band sees you off with a heavy Doom song with many layers of sound and a massive chorus that is underlined by intense guitar riffing that even underlines the enormously melodic chorus. The vocal parts are extremely intense and there are so many vocals elements that you have to listen close, to marvel at all the aspects of Julian’s voice. “No Ballade?” you might ask yourself and you are right, there is none and if you got the concept of the album, you will understand, why. Give the album at least three spins in various moods and locations and you will feel how well all this doom and misery will fit your dark side, while the Goth Rock songs will appeal to the more colourful one.
LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE took a new path, neither denying their roots nor their influences, the band has a massive back catalogue and there are many ballades that are fan favourites, so why blow up the concept of an album that deals with all aspects of Doom and misery in life just to stick to business conventions. The band did it their way and the result is a new chapter in the bands history that spans almost three decades.
Tracklist
01. Wall Of Gloom
02. A Cloak Woven Of Stars
03. Nebula
04. In A Lengthening Shadow
05. The Curtain Of White Silence
06. Unseen
07. The Vastness Of Infinity
08. To Disappear In You
09. An Invisible Beginning
10. Shroud Of Night
Line-up
Julian Larre – vocals
Oliver Nikolas Schmid – guitars
Ilker Ersin – bass
Dominik Scholz – drums
Website
www.lacrimas.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9 / 10
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