When bands return from hiatus, there are certain expectations that come from being gone. One such expectation is that their comeback album should be something of great caliber, something that leaves a lasting impression. While that expectation may not always be met, the experience of listening to a new album from a returning band is always a fun one. Cue Motus Tenebrae‘s newest full-length, In Sorrow’s Requiem, their first album in almost a decade.
This album calls Katatonia’s A Sky Void of Stars to mind immediately, albeit with a deeper focus on the slower aspects of doom. While A Sky Void of Stars feels lighter and polished, In Sorrow’s Requiem is darker and heavier in weight and scope, sinking deep in your memory. First track “Endless Building” brings forth the metal image of being unable to escape from the prison of your mind, represented by the “endless buildings” the speaker sees on the horizon. It’s a labyrinth that one is unable to make sense of, especially as, towards the end of the song, the speaker concludes that they might as well stay trapped inside, as there is no way out.
This feeling bleeds on second track “Solitude”, a song that emphasizes the doom aspects of the gothic. On this song, there’s nothing left except the four walls the speaker finds himself in, and the song conveys a harsh sense of defeat that comes from being alone for so long. This track is also one of the most emotional on the album, which is surprising, especially when you expect the darker emotional songs to come later. “Solitude” is gothic doom whiplash, as it shifts from a somewhat heavy song to something so dark that you can’t help but feel everything vocalist Luis McFadden sings about, as the speaker he represents sinks so easily into despair. This is a track deserving of full voice, fueled by the breadth of human emotion. Another standout track on In Sorrow’s Requiem – and my personal favorite – is “Pulvere Sacro”, a song reminding me of The Man-Eating Tree’s Harvest. While the song lacks that album’s perceived amusement and lightness, “Pulvere Sacro” is a straightforward death-doom track, one with enough melody to wake the dead. Underneath the darkness that Motus Tenebrae throws at you, this song is melodic and catchy, a reprieve from the inherent gloom that the album is centered around.
Now, while I do like this type of doomy gothic metal, I found myself wavering on In Sorrow’s Requiem after multiple listens. Before you start throwing your pitchforks at me: In Sorrow’s Requiem is an objectively great album, and there’s nothing wrong with the approach they took to create music that strikes an emotional chord with the listener. However, my main issue is its production, as its mixing doesn’t sound great. At times, the music peaks uncomfortably – the instrumentation lacks clarity and the vocals sound muddled, as if they were accidentally recorded on the same line when it came to finalizing the album. I also don’t like the choices made on the vocal harmonies, as they don’t sound like they were recorded cleanly. In fact, they sound like they were recorded separately and later layered together in a way that wasn’t done properly. Aesthetically, this breeds unease across the album’s runtime, but because I am so used to this type of doom metal being polished, I guess I was expecting the music to be the heart of the album. Perhaps my expectations were too high, and that’s on me.
In Sorrow’s Requiem has real strengths, but stumbles on its production choices, which leave a lot to be desired. Don’t misunderstand me: I genuinely like this album, and I will listen to more of it, but it feels incomplete in its current form. There’s a great foundation here, and I would like to see Motus Tenebrae expand on these ideas. Despite this, if you like gothic doom metal on the darker side of things, then you will enjoy this record. It’s not looking to reinvent the wheel, but it rewards the listen. I hope their next record improves on the choices made here, and I look forward to seeing what Motus Tenebrae does next.
–Hera
In Sorrow’s Requiem is available now on My Kingdom Music. For more information on Motus Tenebrae, please visit their official Facebook and Instagram.
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