Day: January 10, 2018

The Russians Lorelei had released one of the best works in the gothic doom sphere in 2013 with Ugrjumye Volny Studenogo Morja, and after more than four years they finally return with its successor titled Teni Oktyabrya (Shadows Of October). Although four years are not few, all in all the coordinates of the sound have remained the same, which is not a bad thing, given the high quality exhibited in the past: the fundamental variations concern the permanent entry of a vocalist dedicated to growl, in the person of Alexey Kuznetsov (Locus Titanic Funus), when instead in the previous work these parts had been entrusted as a guest to one of the most influential characters of the Moscow doom scene as Evander Sinque, and the almost total renunciation of the contribution of female voice, relegated to a sporadic role of mere accompaniment. In the exchange Lorelei do not lose and do not gain, because all in all Kuznetsov turns out to be an excellent performer, while the lack of the usual phrasing between the beauty and the beast makes the whole thing in some ways less obvious, making it also slightly less varied. The band led by Alex Ignatovich reproposes a gothic however strongly draconian matrix and with a remarkable melodic taste, which allows to offer with good continuity intense songs, soaked with a melancholic scent and marked with strength by the imprinting of what, by now, can be defined a real school in the doom field as the Russian one. As for its predecessor, for the purposes of a potential commercial outlet outside the borders of the former USSR, Teni Oktyabrya could suffer from the choice of Lorelei to continue with their lyrical autarchy, continuing to show off everything in the mother tongue, which inevitably leaves a little something in the way of immediate usability. Personally, I consider this less than venial, so I warmly invite every fan to listen to this beautiful work, which in my opinion is a true example of how the matter should be treated, going straight to the target without digressions of any kind, maintaining that tragically romantic aura that may not be a novelty but, at the same time, never gets tired of listening: the Lorelei gratify the listener with a series of fluid and convincing songs such as Ya – Severniy Veter, the title track, Temnaya Voda and the superb and conclusive Canticum Angelorum, seal of a work of remarkable quality.

2017 – Solitude Productions