Suffer, Then We're Gone
Mourn The Light

MOURN THE LIGHT is a heavy/doom metal band from United State, Connecticut. They formed in 2017 and wasted no time recording, having released an EP in 2018 and a split in 2019. This year brings to fruition their full length debut, "Suffer, Then We're Gone." This album seems to be getting a lot of reactions and love from the underground and apparently it is for good reason because "Suffer, Then We're Gone," is a fine album that mixes a traditional metal sound with doom. Across the nine tracks and fifthy four minute run time, the songs go from slow, riff based doom to galloping heavy metal in the blink of an eye. The guitar tone is near perfecting, a visceral bite that hits all the right buttons no matter what style they are tackling at any given moment.
The bass and drums are very audible in the production, which is clear but just gritty enough to capture the magic of their genre twisting sound. Vocalist Andrew Stachelek has a stark and commanding voice, pure pleasure to listen to and would probably garner the band fans even if that person didn't care for the instrumental portion. The lyrics are so truthful, pain filled, and honest that they are nearly surreal. Sometime it gets old to hear bands speak their words with cryptic passage and allegories so I found their lyrical approach to be very refreshing, which is amazing because I rarely speak about lyrical content in my reviews.
Even with their myriad styles applied to their doom atmosphere, the listening is a smooth ride and this is just one of the albums you can pick up and play at any time and be satisfied in your choice. Despite their doom leaning, the sound of the album isn't overly depressing. On the flips side, their heavy metal portions don't make them corny or out of date. This is just a well written piece of metal. There is much here to enjoy, more than I have time in my busy life to really write about so I'm going to hit the highlights.
The opening track "When The Fear Subsides," begins with baritone vocals and clean guitar before a sinister riff throws down the song's harder leanings. A steady rhythm finds an early stride and the band rides it to the extremely catchy chorus for a huge pay off. The middle portion finds the band switching guitars and taking on a heavy metal gallop and, later, a melodic section that leads into a guitar solo with old school flair.
"End Of Times," is one of my favorites on the album because is just one hook after another. Just when I thought it couldn't get stuck inside my head more, that amazing chorus about the end of times blows all that way. How can a find a song like this to be worthy of humming to myself all day? Because MOURN THE LIGHT know how to write a song, that's how. The song breaks down into a clean, melodic mid section briefly before classic style riffs take over. A great song in general.
The title track is a little more somber than what comes before but that is to be expected considering the name. The first three minutes or so are clean and melodic but it takes a surprising turn at the 3:11 mark with an upswing towards distortion and death growls/screams. I think the extreme vocal style works well and wished they had used it more often. The guitar and bass afterwards doubles down to the extreme in its own way. The heavier approach here may be musically different from the beginning but it mirrors its atmosphere all the same.
"Refuse To Fall," is another surprise because this one has a huge power metal feel to it. The galloping, speedy guitar, soaring vocals wouldn't sound out of place in the genre but thankfully they don't over do it or let it take over—it fits firmly into the album's sound. Not counting the bonus track, which I was lucky enough to obtain with my promo copy, "Wisdom Bestowed," is the final track and it is a doozy. Thrash elements take over—that guitar solo is downright blazing as are the riffs that boost it up. Ignoring the destruction they just caused, the band takes a different approach suddenly and lets loose a beautiful clean section with what sounds like Spanish guitar to me. It leads back into the heavier riffs with the vocals alternating between a rough clean and smooth tenor.
MOURN THE LIGHT is an album that is worth the hype and serves as a nice bridge between doom and traditional elements, while leaving enough room to grow and experiment along the way without every losing their identity. Older metalheads who might be trapped in the past would also do well to check this out, to see that there are bands who are modern and honor the past while surging ever forward.
9 / 10
Almost Perfect
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production

"Suffer, Then We're Gone" Track-listing:
1. When the Fear Subsides
2. I Bare the Scars
3. Take Your Pain Away
4. End of Times (2020 version)
5. Suffer, Then We're Gone
6. Refuse to Fall
7. Progeny of Pain
8. Wisdom Bestowed
9. Blink of an Eye (Remastered Bonus Track)
Mourn The Light Lineup:
Bill Herrick - Bass
Kyle Hebner - Drums
Kieran Beaty - Guitars
Dwayne Eldredge - Guitars, Vocals
Andrew Stachelek - Vocals
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