Gloombound are a band of young Norwegians who have chosen funeral doom as their musical expression, a brave option in its own right, given that most of their contemporaries and fellow countrymen are instinctively oriented towards black metal, which in that country has taken on the importance we know. Astral Exhalation is a first demo that does not reach twenty minutes in length, but which, in the two long tracks plus intro, shows an already comforting awareness of the Scandinavian quartet’s handling of the material. The use of the organ instinctively leads one to imagine mainly Finnish bands such as Skepticism and Profetus as their main sources of inspiration although, especially in the title track, an eerie liturgical nature is also displayed that makes the sound of Gloombound anything but calligraphic or predictable. Mina Halvorsen’s vocal interpretation is convincing in all the ranges used, as is the work of the other members of a band that with this demo lays a good foundation for producing something very interesting in the near future.
2023 – Independent
Mournful Sounds 
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