To play Doom Metal subgenres isn’t something complicated, but it’s not only a matter of playing on a heavy, nasty and slow way. If one carefully listens to works of BLACK SABBATH, WITCHFINDER GENERAL, TROUBLE, SAINT VITUS, THE OBSESSED, CANDLEMASS in the past, but to lessons of albums of acts as MY DYING BRIDE (especially “Turn Loose the Swans” and “The Angel and the Dark River”) and PARADISE LOST, this person will really have the clear idea that Doom Metal is a vast and ample genre on its own. And it seems that the Italian trio MOURNING MIST is up to use different Doom Metal elements on their second album, “Amen”. It’s obvious that the trio is on a trend similar to the older Doom Metal acts of the past, using slower tempos and funeral ambiences inspired by hymns as “Hand of Doom”, “Electric Funeral” and… Well, the entire work presented on “Paranoid” (pay attention to the technical parts of bass guitar in moments as “True Values” to have an idea of how Geezer Butler’s playing has a crush on the band).

It’s classic Doom Metal, but they take advantage of violin parts as well (on “Betrayal”, it’s clear that melancholic appeal of the 90’s Doom Metal on the violin’s parts). It’s really a very good work, but one can check that they can do something even better than is presented on the album. The recordings took place at Vinum Sabbati Studio (where the album was produced as well). The sonority chosen for the band lays on the classic formula of the genre: spooky, organic and simple, evading extreme technologic improvements. Obviously things could be better, but’s not bad and everyone can understand what is expressed on the album.

For a Doom Metal fan, or even for those that can appreciate the genre without losing time with genres’ names, it’s hard to choose better moments between “Ancient Ruins” (a hypnotic song with abrasive guitar riffs and some good arrangements), “Isle of Loss” (the bitterness and filthy of this one can tear ears apart, again with very good guitar riffs and an oppressive drumming), “Blindness” (their most ‘sabbathic’ moment, slower and climatic, with excellent bass guitar parts), “True Values” (where the contrasts between classic Doom Metal features with elements of the 90s is evident, with the support of melancholic violin’s parts), “Betrayal” (an oppressive song with elements of Doom Metal of the 70s, 80s and 90s coexisting in a homogeneous way), and “Amen” (an instrumental song with many disturbing parts). Again: this is a pure breed album of Doom Metal.

It’s a pleasure to welcome MOURNING MIST’s second album. And as mentioned above, “Amen” depicts a band with more potential to show in the future, so their tendency is to grow to a point of becoming a legend.