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Memento Mori

Frozen Wreath

With no information about the band included on their Facebook or Bandcamp pages, and no […]
Frozen Wreath - Memento Mori album cover

With no information about the band included on their Facebook or Bandcamp pages, and no bio info included in their EPK, very little is known about this Atmospheric Black Metal band from Hungary. I did learn the meaning of the title of the album...it is an artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death. This is the band's debut album, and contains eight tracks.

"Megsárgult fényképek" leads off the album. It lies somewhere between Dungeon Synth and Black Metal, with vile vocals, and keys that keep it edgy. A guitar solo is somewhat uncommon in the genre. "Halott ígéret" features a more traditional Black Metal sound...a wall of guitars and drums, with harrowing vocals. The ambient passage with spoken word is a different sound...it's both solemn and melancholy. The sound returns with a bit of harmony in the guitars.

"Miért?" has a slower grind, and those feelings of hopelessness come in and are driven home. Audible bass notes combine with spoken word harmonies, in their native language. Some more Dungeon Synth elements come in as well. "Osz" is back to the more traditional Black Metal sound, with some expansive guitar work. "A koszikla megmarad" is a slower song, where those feelings of dread come back. The bass work is excellent here, and the songwriters show a little versatility here with the odd meter. It moves to a faster groove and then the slow grind returns.

"Feltamadas" is again more of the traditional Black Metal sound. Some nifty guitar work mixes in the fast-picked notes and audible bass. Keys mark a slower pace, which quickens towards the end, complete with Black Metal shrieks. The title track opens with clean guitars and a lumbering pace. Those feelings return again, like nothing matters in life and you should just give up. Yet, hope remains present, though buried a bit. "Fagyott koszoru" closes the album. The vocals are done two ways, providing some depth to the sound. Some spoken word combines with clean, solemn guitar notes, as the song wallows in desperation. Bell strikes at the end mark the ending of your life.

Overall, this was good. There is enough diversity to keep your interest, and purists will also like its nod to the forefathers. Hopelessness is a key emotion given off. It sucks you in and grates against your skin. You try to outrun it, but it is like a potion, slowly poisoning you to death. I think both songwriters here tried their best to convey these feelings here, and they were successful. There is room for improvement obviously, but not bad.

7 / 10

Good

Songwriting

7

Musicianship

7

Memorability

7

Production

7
"Memento Mori" Track-listing:

1. Megsárgult fényképek
2. Halott ígéret
3. Miért?
4. Ősz
5. A kőszikla megmarad
6. Feltámadás
7. Memento Mori
8. Fagyott koszorú

Frozen Wreath Lineup:

Neubauer Roland - Vocals
Szele Zoltán - All instruments

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