EPITAPHE is a French Doom/Death Metal band debuting with their full-length album, "I."  Much like fellow Doom/Death Frenchmen ATARAXIE, this band makes its home with longer songs that don't follow any conventional structure.  This may turn some Metal fans off but for true Doomheads, such as myself, EPITAPHE are presenting a cavernous album that is very rewarding.

The opening track, "Smouldering Darkness," is nearly twenty minutes in length.  This might be a bit of a risk in terms of garnering, and keeping, a listener's attention but, honestly, if you like this style then the length isn't an issue and I'm sure the band realizes this.  As if the music is sending you down into an unknown tomb, the sounds contained within get darker and heavier the further you go in.  The smattering of clean tones atop the caustic riffs are like water drops from a thousand-year old stalactites smacking against the dark and hard cave floor.   The song has an intense change in tempo around the six-minute mark with riffs that would make any OSDM band proud.  The vocals during this phase of the song are truly frightening, almost doesn't seem human.  My favorite part of the song is the harrowing, near Blackened feel of the music around the 13-minute mark then the surprisingly catchy riffs that comes afterwards.  There is more content in this song than most albums from other bands and I could write my whole review on this one track but, alas, I must move on.

The second track, "Embers," is loaded with atmosphere and feeling that would scary anyone not accustomed to this type of music.  The ambient tones and the drums are very foreboding in the beginning, a warning of things yet to come.  This track is also a bit more straight Death Metal oriented, as the guitars have more detail in the riffs but they still have that rumbling Doom feel to them.  We are also treated to some higher pitched Death vocals, similar to NILE.  The halfway point of the track is when the Doom returns to a more somber nature, but the speed picks up, whipping up a frenzied set of drum riffs.

"Reveries," is a complete turn-around from what came before.  The music is all clean and is almost beautiful in a way.  Considering the Hell the prior two tracks can put you through, "Reveries" is a welcomed addition to the album and a fine instrumental. The Doomed chaos returns for the fourth track, "Downward Stream."  This one is probably the most intense track on the album-it takes the more straight forward Death Metal sound from the second track and throws in the abyssal sound presented on the first one.  In many ways, this track represents what this album is all about and probably the one I would be more apt to show someone whom I was trying to sell the band on.

The final track, "Monolithe," is another twenty-minute ride but one that I have found to my favorite of the album.  When I hear the word "monolithe" I think of something that not only is huge in size but also in scope, the very nature to be unknown, alien, and somewhat fearful because of those aspects.  This track succeeded in bringing to life that definition especially during the first few minutes where the band's brand of Doom depends on more ambient sounds than actual riffs and drums.  If the beginning moments contained the unknown scope then the middle portion nails the fear aspect, with riff after riff that just shreds the ears.  The musical movement about 13 minutes in features clean textures that recall "Reveries," although it is a bit more mysterious and somber in tone this time around.

With just five tracks that stretch over an hour listening time, this album can be a lot to take in.  However, if you have the patience, you will find that is quite the journey and one that is worth exploring and spending your time doing so. With "I," EPITAPHE have created one of the best and unnerving Death/Doom releases of the year.  Highly recommend.