ISENORDAL could be thought of as an ensemble on a smaller scale but certainly a collective of like-minded musicians with purpose.  The group hails from the gloom capital of the U.S. Seattle.  Comprised of instrumentalists as varied as a cellist, a viola player and an organist, the group still retains the Metal standard with guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer as well as multiple vocalists.  Online, the band is listed as a hybrid of Pagan/Black/Doom/Neo-Folk Metal.  Most of that sounds promising and my fingers were crossed going into it whether the tired tropes that are repeated into oblivion would be present in this release.

The title track kicks things off and is the longest running track at 11:14 minutes.  Across that long stretch what mostly transpires is a gloomy affair accented with the sound of falling rain.  It does feature some moments of heaviness, but it is nothing like the following track, "Of Winged Fire and Crawling Shadow".  It is on this second track that the band make a statement of intent regarding heaviness.  Seemingly from out of nowhere a powerful resonating groove is achieved and my attention is retained.  Throw in some blast beats, down-tuned Doom riffs, and the extensive use of strings including viola and cello. The incorporation of traditional string instruments is something I've been behind since purchasing MY DYING BRIDE's "Turn Loose the Swans" back in the day.

The third track, "Pyres at Nightfall," is noteworthy as well.  Halfway through the album, it s the most daring offering yet as a maelstrom of malevolent musical intent is conjured with the actual string section providing a unique orchestrated accompaniment.  The layering of string instruments as such gives the music its catalyzing spark for without them, it would be all too bare.  At times, there are flirtations with Black Metal, perhaps what could be labeled as Pure Symphonic Black Metal, while at others, the band slows things down to a crawl further embellishing that original melodic idea.

The band's sound is created by the very rich mixture of instrumentation with which they are working.  The guitar tone is derived from the use of either an original HM-2 pedal or a recent clone along with whatever amp that is being driven mostly wide open.  On one hand, it is true that many bands are employing that tone at the moment, but their tone is colored just enough to give it the sound of early AMORPHIS and "Shades of God"-era PARADISE LOST.  For a band whose primary goal seems to be to create epic songs, the blend works.  The bass is solid, simple, and to the point.  Vocally, it is mostly unclean banter though there are some other techniques employed as well.  The production is constructed in such a way as to accent the whole over the parts.

Indeed, this band does seem like a collective.  Teamwork and helping others achieve greatness elevates their work.  While not earth-shattering overall, what can be said for "Shores of Mourning" is that it is a solid, honest effort to create a massive dark, and multi-faceted sound.