LAPSUS DEI is a melodic death metal / doom band based out of Santiago, Chile, formed back in 1998. This is their 4^th full-length release entitled "Sea of Deep Reflections" which came out June 16th 2020, through Sliptrick Records. There has been a trend in the doom genre to mix up the slower patterns of the riffs with very melodic passages, if you have been following my reviews, one of those bands is GREY SKIES FALLEN from which I really enjoyed their last effort. Whenever I see the 2 labels for a band, I have high expectations of quality.

The opener "Falling Apart" that starts off with some nice and groovy bass lines and some strings in the background. The vocals are like a softer version of MOONSPELL especially in the cleaner passages. You could make a case that the vocals are in the same vein as the male ones in LACUNA COIL. What is striking is how smooth the guitar melodies are and how heavy they are in the rhythm section. The song hits all the right notes (literally and figuratively) and really is a treat to listen to.

What follows is "The Call of Sirens" and boy is this a heavy number. Not only because of its symphonic nature, but just the overall deep guitar notes. While the band I find this resembles is completely different, I could feel an ELDRITCH touch in this one. There are some very intriguing passages here that make the song epic and gloomy (think PARADISE LOST). The grasp on the melodic aspect is perfect and it never goes into endless solos. To a certain extent, you could see there are some progressive undertones as well.
If any doom fans out there are familiar with the project GODGORY, you will get a kick out of out the track "The Last Trip" as it is a much more aggressive number and relies on what us melodic death fans love, the variety that put the genre on the map in Sweden over 25 years ago. The nostalgic side of this song just made it an instant classic for me and a heavy favorite for the best song on the album. There is even a nice acoustic part, accompanied by rolling drums and followed by an awe-inspiring guitar solo.

There is another standout on the album that is the closer "Arrival" that dives into the maelstrom of sadness and sorrow. I have always had a soft spot for these epic melodramatic numbers that rely on heavy emotion and convey it beautifully in the vocal delivery and the guitar notes. This the perfect mix of ANATHEMA and MY DYING BRIDE yet it certainly has a natural flavor and a distinct sound.

The entire album solidifies this band's place in the doom genre, not only because they really master all the aspects that make this category of metal so great, but because they also bring a lot of fresh-sounding guitar harmonies and progressive parts that are not that frequent in other projects. While I was not familiar with their material before performing this review, I will keep an eye of their future releases.