Band:	Shattered Hope
Album:	Promo 2007
Style:	Death doom metal
Release date:	December 2007

01. Shadows From The Past
02. Enlighten The Darkness

Shattered Hope's 2007 promo, aptly named "Promo 2007" is two tracks and nearly 20 minutes of doomy goodness.

Hailing from Athens, Greece, the band is currently unsigned and only had put out a demo, 2005's "A View of Grief" prior to cutting this promo. I cite this information only because it makes the promo that much more impressive a release. The 2007 Promo hardly sounds like the work of an unsigned band putting together a tape to get heard - it's damned good and sounds more like an interim EP released by seasoned vets with multiple albums under their belt.

Shattered Hope consists of six musicians, all of whom understand how their respective instruments contribute within the doom context. Even more than that, they certainly have a great grasp of dynamics - that which makes their music both interesting and enthralling.

Thanos and Sakis on guitar, Thanasis on bass provide solid riffing, a core component of doom metal, and have several riffs and tempos in each track, coupled with Eygenia on keyboards to help provide atmosphere. On both tracks, during the guitar-driven portions, the keyboard helps to accent the riffs, and later takes over the quieter, atmospheric parts where the guitars drop out to let the keyboard breath. After the interludes, the guitars thunder back into the action, picking up the pace. Solos are slower and melodic in approach. There is no flash (hey, this is doom, where you expecting sweep picking and two hand tapping runs?), the solos instead further the emotional atmosphere - and at times in the waning moments of "Enlighten the Darkness" showcase a knack for almost bluesy bends and a fantastic tone.

Drummer George occupies the kit, moving the tracks along but finds sufficient time within the slow paced doom to add a few fills to keep it interesting. Nikos manages to mix up the vocal delivery nicely. Most of the release features Death/Doom style vocals that reminded me, on first listen of "Shadows of the Past", of Pim from Officium Triste, but Nikos also has a nice melodic voice that is also showcased at times, as well as some spoken passages.

The songs themselves both clock in over the eight minute mark, and both demonstrate their aforementioned understanding of dynamics. Songs evolve from slower chugged doom riffs to slower, quiet acoustic interludes with melodic vocals, back to more slow doom or even crushing uptempo riffs. Rather than come up with a cool riff or two and just rest on that for five minutes or more, and boring the listener to tears, they shift things up... suffocating the listener one minute, releasing tension the next, only to resume crushing away. The shifts in mood within the songs not only keeps them from growing stale, they keep your interest piqued.

Per Thanos, the group has set about in recording their first full length. If this promo is a good indication at what they are capable of, I'll be making a point to acquire their new release the moment it's hot off the press.

If you are into Mar de Grises or similar doom, Shattered Hope is definitely worth your time and effort to check out. While this promo might not be readily available, you can download "A View of Grief" (reviewed here by Rozz) from the band's website, http://www.shatteredhope.gr/.