“Asylum's Lament” is the debut-album by the Dutch doom-black trio STUPOROUS. The music is characterized by low-pitched guitars, slow pounding drums and atmospheric keys. What is special about STUPOROUS are the frequently used trumpets & horns, and the extremely schizophrenic vocals that are somewhere between timid and very aggressive. The lyrics are about mental disorders, based on true events in a psychiatric facility. “Asylum's Lament” can be described as a melancholic and intense trip in a troubled mind.

“Parasidious Preludium” is the opening intro, with delicate piano notes and some strings, and jazzy drum parts fill the background. “Throne of Madness” is quite a bit darker, with a slow, lumbering riff and vocal screams. Spooky keys occupy the background, and the madness increases as the song moves. “Desperation” is just that…hopelessness personified through music. Both the clean and harsh vocals paint a picture of the anguish that comes with not being able to do anything about your situation. “Decorating the Willow Tree” is every bit as desperate. A willow tree often signifies an inspiring and symbolic of humans' capability to withstand hardship, loss, and difficult emotions.”

“Never Let Me Go” has some tenser tones, marked by the soft, clean vocals. Something is brewing in the darkness, and comes roaring out with the harsh vocals. It picks up with great haste just before the half-way mark, and the dies to deep laments. “Distorted Echoes” is quite pretty, in a Post Rock sort of way. Even the harsh vocals, which rip through the lines, can’t tear apart the beauty that is the songs foundation. The lengthy “The Voice that Made Me Do It” closes the album, and really gets at the heart of the message…mental illness. The subject is so tortured that he can’t make out right from wrong, or illusion from reality.

Overall, the soft trumpet parts definitely add another layer of darkness to the music, which is already quite desperate. The combination of Doom and Black Metal actually works very well with the music. At times angry and other time dreadfully sad, the albums themes are well reflected in the sound.