Magnificent this split album released by the usual Kaotoxin, which brings together two of the best European bands dedicated to funeral death doom, namely the Dutch Faal and the English Eye Of Solitude. Probably, I should correct myself on the latter, since they are not one of the best, but the absolute best today: a status, this, conquered with two masterpieces such as Canto III and Dear Insanity and that, for those who were not yet fully convinced, is reinforced thanks to this ten minutes of dramatically intense, capable of plunging anyone into the darkest despair before the cathartic and therapeutic effect of doom leaves only a sense of beneficial astonishment. Obsequies, right from its title, leaves no room for misunderstandings whatsoever, being the musical transposition of a funeral rite, complete with mournful, out-of-tune band sounds to introduce what has now become a winning trademark: haunting melodies raped by Daniel Neagoe’s terrifying growl. Only one small remark compared to previous releases has to be made to a production that does not enhance the Romanian vocalist’s performance as usual. After such a display of pain, the task of the Dutch band Faal proves, on paper, rather difficult: the Breda-based band has been active for about a decade in the course of which they have released two excellent albums. This release comes very welcome three years after The Clouds Are Burning, and a track like Shattered Hope proves that the inspiration is always at its peak, allowing the band not to disfigure at all in front of their split comrades (with whom they have moreover shared the stage more than once in recent times). Of course, the emotional peaks reached by Eye Of Solitude are not easily attainable, but Faal’s funeral death doom is of excellent quality and risks not shining as it deserves solely due to the close comparison with a band that, more than any other today (with the exception of Saturnus, who move on a less extreme level, however), is capable of provoking emotions in profusion with their music. Having said that, the split album in question for lovers of funeral death doom is undoubtedly an object to be hoarded without delay.

2015 – Kaotoxin Records