"Shadows Digging The Grave" is the second full-length album from the Finnish band, CIMINERO. It features great, fat, fuzzy riffs, eerie gothic vocals, and every other doom-metal staple that you can think of. Unfortunately, the entire album sounds veiled and muffled. This is most evident in the vocals. I'm not sure why this decision was made and I am not a fan of the style of production used on the album.

There are a handful of standout tracks, but they all sound far away and hazy. The second track, "Torment," starts with an enjoyable, slowly-played bass guitar part. Next, comes a clean lead guitar passage before the main riff hits. The riffs are the best things on this album. For me, this track feels a little too on the nose. It's no secret that they owe a great debt to BLACK SABBATH.

The third track, "Ring Of Perpetual Insanity," is chock-full of tritones. There are some nice tempo changes and the song is well-developed. The muffled tone of the album spoils it for me. Again, there are great riffs and drums, but the album's production makes the vocals sound monotonous.

The fourth track, "Yearning And Insurgency From The Empyrean," is the best one on "Shadows Digging The Grave." This track starts with an old-school doom metal riff that is positively infectious. The lead guitar solo is another high point. Also, Valentina Vigato's deep vocals add a much-needed sense of urgency. This track rises above the muddy production and sounds great. It is also the most well-written song on the album.

Track seven, "The Leaper," is the fastest song on the album. The main riff chugs along nicely and fits well with the vocals. The lead guitar solo is also a major strong point. I would have liked to see how the track develops over a longer runtime, but it is a good thing to leave your audience wanting more.

The ninth and final track, "Underworld Coven," sounds the most like BLACK SABBATH. That being said, the main riff is excellent, and the whole track develops nicely. It is a fitting end to a somewhat lackluster album. It has everything a person could want in a doom-metal album, except a distinct personality.

From the veiled production to the riffs from central casting, I found it difficult to get on board with "Shadows Digging The Grave." The muffled, monotonous vocals do this album no favors. There have been several excellent doom releases lately, sadly, this is not one of them.