Negative Evocation Rites
The Funeral Orchestra
Originating in Gothenburg, Sweden, and formed in 2002, they released their debut album in 2003. Then, seven long years passed until their second, and then two were released in 2020. From the Facebook page, they are "apocalyptic minimalistic Doom Metal, in black robes and golden masks." "Negative Evocation Rights" contains four lengthy tracks.
"Negative Evocations" is over 12 minutes in length. Opening with a heavy, slow, resonating riff, it gradually picks up in sound. Drums come into play, though very slowly, as so Death vocals. The entire song moves so slowly that you don't even notice the passage of time along the way. This is very Doomy...guitars down-tuned and dissonant, without a hint of melody. The riff then begins to pick up a bit as well, but this is "fileted and slayed" type of Doom. "Flesh Infiltrations" is over eight minutes in length, opening with ominous guitar notes and eerie vocal chants. This music is mesmerizing. They gain a foot on a riff, and ride it into infinity. It lumbers forward, with an impossible weight, leaving the ground utterly barren behind.
"Negations I" is another long song. It opens slowly as the others did, and you can hear the bass thump away like a woolly mammoth waking up from a long slumber. The vocals take a while to develop, and are gnarly and raspy. If it were at all possible, this song moves even slower than the others, allowing that Doom to seep deep into all of your crevices. "Negations II" is over 12 minutes in length. It really takes some time to develop, longer than a bear coming out of hibernation. The sound is very eerie and harrowing. The drums keep the pace about as slow as music can possibly go. The ending is very long and drawn out.
Overall, this was about as much Doom as you can possibly handle. The four songs are impossible long and gloomy, producing ever-grey skies for years, perhaps decades, or even centuries. The genre itself is not very forgiving when it comes to boundaries however, and the goal of drawn out misery and forever doomed in Hell is achieved. There just isn't much room for creativity here...all you can do is try to "out-Doom" the next band in the genre. Still, this one was nicely done, and if you're a fan, I am sure you will like it. I had to get up and walk around after a couple listens, lest it stop me in my tracks forever.
7 / 10
Good
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Negative Evocation Rites" Track-listing:
1. Negative Evocations
2. Flesh Infiltrations
3. Negations I
4. Negations II
The Funeral Orchestra Lineup:
Priest I - Guitars, Vocals
Priest II - Bass
Priest III - Drums
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