OCTOBER NOIR is a Gothic/Doom metal band formed in 2016 in Pensacola, Florida. Fate, Wine & Wisteria, their third full-length album, was independently released on September 22. 2021. The first thing you will notice is the distinct TYPE O NEGATIVE influence. The slow, sludgy tempo, the deep vocal timbre, they will remind of the inimitable Peter Steele (R.I.P.).

The record starts with a moody intro, introducing the first part of this record, "Fate." The piano melody is haunted and ethereal, brooding, and dark. "Windows" is next and is heavy on the keyboards. Those are used to accentuate the guitar riff. The bass and drums are slow and methodical, never trying to overpower the song, just hanging there under the riff, supporting everything.

"Effigy" wraps up part one. The deep vocals add to the darkness of the tunes. The beginning of this one is interesting. The single guitar with some distortion is pretty cool. The riff is like a sludgy version of a 60's pop song in my mind. The doom filled take on that is entertaining. The melodic vocals matched with this tune, with backing vocals added in, makes the song sound like an updated oldies hit. This works better than you would think.

"Wine" is a one-minute lead into the next section. Keyboard and guitar tones are all you get. They lead to "Persephone," another haunted track with heavy distortion in the guitars and some killer ambient keys. The track is pure sludge and doom. As this is what you expect after hearing the first section, Fate, it fits what you would think comes next. The best part of this song is the scream where the vocals go to a higher timbre. It is a bit of a shock but works very well in the song.

"Cradle The Monster" ends this section and is a bit of a surprise song. The vocals again go higher in timbre, reaching more into the upper baritone region. They also take on a faster cadence, making this one of the fastest songs on the record. The tempo is quick for this record. The beauty of this is they pull it off well. OCTOBER NOIR is not a single faceted beast. They can vary themselves and perform well in multiple arenas.

"Wisteria" is the intro to the last section as the albums name would imply. Again, the tone is different. Keys and strings are what is heard, and the tone is again pretty dark. This leads into "Sistinas," another doom-laden, dark song. The keys in this one are almost like the opening theme to "The Addams Family" television show. They sound old-timey, which accentuates the song very well.

Wrapping part three of the record is "Goodbye Black Bird." This is a slow starting, dark tune with some ambient keys and a slightly longer intro than usual, probably because this is the longest song on the record at just over nine minutes. The tempo changes and variances in vocal timbres again highlight the broad skill sets of the band.

OCTOBER NOIR is a classic doom metal act. They have the sludgy, oozing sound that defines the genre, but they are more than just that. There is the ability to reach the higher registers and lighter tones, even though they maintain the doom sound. They have a more melodic capability that works well for them. The addition of the pianos in many spots add a depth not all bands are willing to work on. This is a good record with a lot to offer fans of doom, and even for those on the fringes of the genre.