Naturally, it is not surprising for me that a Doom Metal band that features low grunts long side some very slow music will not be of my kind. I had a very rough time listening to this band at first, and trying to find something to enjoy in their work. SHAPE OF DESPAIR seems to be around for as long as Doom Metal lives. They are based in Finland, working for 17 years now, and "Monotony Fields" is their fourth full- length album released.

One thing I can say about those guys is that the sad, lingering sound fits them perfectly. They know the exact amounts for everything required to create an amazing Doom album. The combination between low grunts and clean vocals is working perfectly together, and though being super slow, the guitars and drums are completing each other, thus creating a wall of music willing to support the vocals. Not unlike any other Doom bands, SHAPE OF DESPAIR's bass player is irrelevant to the picture and does not have any real act in the creation, unfortunately. It might not be my cup of tea, but no doubt about it- for Doom, this is amazing. From time to time, such as in the fifth song "Withdrawn", there are some actual guitar solos, and great ones at that. In this specific song, the voice of Natalie Safrosskin is heard clearly, that which makes the song sound whole and complete.

The greatest thing I've noticed in SHAPE OF DESPAIR's music is that fantastic connection between both guitars. Most Doom bands, having only one guitar player, are only playing repeated chords. Off cores, it is the natural sound of Doom Metal, but for me it does feel a bit redundant. In this work, the melody given by the lead guitar makes the entire piece sound like something worth listening to. The production values and sound qualities are without a doubt high, making the sound of this group outstanding in this genre. It sounds as if all those good things come from a perfect combination between great talents, love for music and tones of experience. What can I say? I guess it is working, since without having any connection to the genre I was able to enjoy this album.