Stuporous – Asylum’s Lament (Grandiloquent Gothic Doom)
Ready to get stupefied? Ready to feel stupid? Well this Dutch blackened doom outfit, Stuporous, will leave you feeling just such a way. Uncertain, confused, not smart enough, overwhelmed perhaps, but certainly interested. It took me a few listens to really feel what these multi-instrument masters were doing, but I still felt stupid listening to it. Am I not smart enough? That’s not the issue here, in fact it’s a curious mistake, in my opinion, that led to my first thoughts on Asylum’s Lament. Stuporous are new to the scene (this is a debut, after all), and there’s clearly a great deal of experience in what they do, but is this blackened doom? That’s what everyone seems to be saying.
Asylum’s Lament has the band categorized exactly in this way, but honestly it seems a lazy mistake somewhere along the line repeated endlessly. The opening track, “Parasidious Preludium,” sets a much different type of stage with its almost arrogantly grandiloquent wording, and musically the approach follows until it’s clear you’re listening to something other than. The expectation for blackened doom is an overwhelming, dark crush, but instead the listener is here treated to a jazz-styled atmospheric opener, leading into the bulk of the work which, rather effectively I must add, mixes classical piano, somber chanting, baritone weeps, brass (wtffff) and ghostly keyboards far beyond the usual doominion’s abilities. As such, more properly this should be titled Gothic doom. And with that, friends, I’ve just given you a full indication of what this trio sounds like. Once you get it, it becomes a more rewarding listening experience. Match point for Deaf Sparrow, loss for whoever in the hell called this anything else!
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Stuporous – Asylum’s Lament
Void Wanderer Productions, War Productions
Cover Art: Gordiart
4.2 / 5
