From their EPK, “GRAIN OF PAIN hails from Finland, delivering a powerful blend of dark and emotional doom/death metal. The musical prowess is orchestrated by Timo Solonen, who not only composes but also contributes growls and guitars. Joining him as session musicians: Juho Räihä on guitars, Lars Eikind on bass and clean vocals, Juuso Raatikainen on drums, and Sini Pajunen lending her captivating vocals. Taka Eliel adds his backing growls to enrich the band’s gloomy sound. The band's debut album, titled “The Moon Lights the Way,” will be released on May 31st via Noble Demon.”

“Beneath” is the first song. The opening riff is low and slow, as Doom Metal should be, with deep guttural vocals. The clean vocals add another layer to the sound along with some melody, and they pair nicely with the crushing riff. “Sun for Thee” is a little faster and with a hasty sound, clean vocals come out first, followed by deadly harsh vocals. The music could use a little updating, as they often use the open chord as the basis of the riff, but so far, not bad. The title track opens with a solemn melody line, and those harmonized vocals are quite charming. The band shows another side of themselves on this song, which is mostly clean, but still done with a lot of emotion.

“As Suffering Ends” swings the other direction, with a firm, hardened riff and guttural vocals, and for me, it sounds like quite the opposite of the title…the suffering is deep, and it is only beginning. “The Witch” has one of those stories that you were warned about as a child and the soundtrack to go along with it. Deep bass guitar accents carry the song forward with a good deal of tension, and the cleans are very well done. “Can’t be Fallen” has a strong combination of guitar melodies with thick, guttural vocals and a weighted backbone. The cleans in the chorus are also quite emotional.

“Last Morning” closes the album, and the lamenting tones were never stronger. It sounds exactly as titled, like your final day on earth. The cold fog lifts, but the chill remains, and the grey skies continue as far as the eye can see. Overall, this was a very well done Doom album. All of the elements that you would expect are present, along with some nice surprises. Although the backbone of the album is thick and structured, there are also some shining moments of hope that just can’t quite hold on. Do not look for absolution here.