LAKE OF DEPRESSION is funeral doom metal band based in Panama and formed in 2005. The project is mostly of one man, Ricardo Brenes. "Decadencia," is their first full length album but they also have one demo and two splits. Funeral doom is one of those genres that you either love or hate-middle ground is very rare.  So it probably goes without saying this album will be enjoyable to those who love the style, such as myself, but if you don't already like it then "Decadencia," won't change your mind.  That isn't because it isn't a good album but just because this album straight up exemplifies the sound of the genre.

Perhaps it exemplifies it too perfectly at times.  The opening track, "Inner Void," is nine minutes long but it is basically an intro.  Although it does have some good parts, mainly the keyboards, it doesn't really go anywhere to justify being such a long intro.  The final track, "Stella Aurora," isn't really need either-the ominous tones are appropriately apocalyptic but it doesn't do anything interesting for the listener.

The album really gets going in the next song, which is the title track "Decadencia."  The melodic bass, the sparse guitars, and the light but clever drumming sound great together.  When the spoken clean vocals come in, a Gothic vibe sets in over the music but it doesn't lose its charm. Around the two minute mark, death growls pierce the atmosphere along with some chanting.  At this point, the the song is now mysterious, dark, and even comes off as raw and ancient.  At the halfway point, the ambient style melody from the song's beginning returns to offer a brief respite before it all starts again.  I really enjoyed the song, more than I did the intro and can't but help feel it should have been the first track.

"Haunted Soul," is faster paced and focuses more on riffs than mood or atmosphere.  This one has more of death metal feel to it, especially in the riffs and the more urgent tempo.  However, the band keeps their focus on doom with the song's intro which is a darkly clean passage. Towards the song's end the guitar produces a lead melody that sits right at home with their overall sound.

"Memorial Monoliths," is one of my favorite songs on the albums.  The beginning moments are more laid back and perhaps even a bit sleepy but then those tortured death growls wreck the potential serenity and make it all depressing as hell.  The bass is consistently a pleasure and becomes the focus of which the entire song is built around.  The keyboards are simple but highlight the atmosphere and bring some melody in with the guitars.  This song is deceptively "lighter" compared to some of the other tracks but no less harrowing and brooding.

"Angel de la Muerte," is, as the name would suggest, a sinister song that once again has the band throwing in death metal to their sound.  The keys have this horrific sound cutting under parts of the song to keep the dismal funeral going but that double bass also keeps the other foot of the song firmly planted into brutal territory.  The riffs are slick as hell and tell the song's story as well as any of the other elements.  The spoken word vocals are creepy and don't all make me feel comfortable as I write this review alone with my headphones strapped to me. I like the last couple minutes a long-a melodic dirge of Gothic undertones that, of course, goes right along with the doom.

"The Dead Whale" is my favorite on the album because its just a fine example of funeral doom.  The riffs are simple, barely even move, but they lay on top of the song and just suffocate it.  The vocals are low, not much more than gravel scrapping the ground, but they serve their purpose of coming off like a corpse being dragged through the woods at night.  The buzzing fly sounds only serve to boost the atmosphere of rotting flesh and disturbing scenarios that the song lives for.  At eleven and a half minutes long, the song is one long feeling of anxiety and trepidation.  A truly frightening experience.

All in all, for their first full length album, "Decadencia" is a good example of the power of funeral doom, even if it gets caught in its own way in a few places.  It isn't for the feint of heart but this music won't attract people who wouldn't approach it in the first place.