Second album for the Russian duo Doom Architect, formed by Alexandr Mikhaylov and Marina Kuznetsova, also active in the heavy metal band Volnovoy Front. As the moniker suggests, doom predominates in the sound of Sententia Prima, offered in its death related guise but with a very melodic imprint: despite the relative personality shown in the interpretation of the genre, it must be said that the forty minutes offered by the duo flow very pleasantly, thanks to a good writing ability and the renunciation of clever solutions, favouring a fluidity and listenability that is not always obvious. Alexandr’s growl is appreciable, as is his guitar work, varied and incisive, while Marina weaves effectively linear atmospheres with her keyboards. Among the six songs presented, I would like to point out Embracing the Void and, above all, the final Light of Inner Flame, characterized by valuable guitar lines with melodic and painful traits. Sententia Prima is definitely a good work, maybe not of the first row, but equally worthy of something more than a distracted listening.

2016 – Narcoleptica Productions