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Immensity - The Isolation Splendour review



Reviewer:
8.0

19 users:
8
Band: Immensity
Album: The Isolation Splendour
Release date: March 2016


01. Heartfelt Like Dying
02. Irradiance (For The Unlight)
03. The Isolation Splendour
04. The Sullen
05. Everlasting Punishment
06. Eradicate (The Pain Of Remembrance)
07. Adornment

In a year that has been, to this reviewer, mostly unimpressive in the doom metal department, the Greeks in Immensity decided to close things out with something delightfully fresh and inspired.

Immensity are no new name to us at Metal Storm, as their demo previously won our Clandestine Cut Of The Year in the 2012 MSA. Channeling some of their prior ideas into a full length debut, the band is now back with The Isolation Splendour, a more focused, refined slab of death doom, with a pleasantly relaxing atmosphere oozing of gothic influence. The riffs plod along at a moderate pace that always seems to be building towards some type of climax by weaving their way around the vocals, playing off of them in a very complementary sort of relationship. As one might assume, things feel a bit heavier and harder-hitting when the growls dominate, and the beautiful clean vocals are left to rear up when things become softer and more melodic, as on "Heartfelt Like Dying."

This very cohesive aspect of the songwriting on The Isolation Splendour is quite likely the album's most attractive feature. Nearly every part of the composing process here seems to matter in one way or another, and very little feels out of place. If you hear some death grunts over some chugging riffs, some wailing vocals, or a very restrained guitar lead, each is either leading up to a heightening of the mood, or coming off of one and bringing things back to a more serene state of rest. There's a strong sense that if you took any one part out of the album, everything else would fall apart (see "Eradicate (The Pain Of Remembrance)" especially), and it's the mark of good songwriting.

All in all, The Isolation Splendour isn't really flirting around with any profoundly new ideas. Gothic doom, melodic death doom, and their derivatives are already well developed, with plenty of big name bands. But there's something about Immensity's take on it that is far more immersive and emotive than average, and it lies in those lengthy, dynamic tracks that feel like they're telling a story with their melodies and sound manipulation. Looking for a potential breath of fresh air in death doom? This album may be for you.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 7
Production: 8





Written on 12.01.2015 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 118 users
12.01.2015 - 02:16
Zap
Guest
Wait, how did I miss this? I liked their demo a lot, but must have completely forgotten about them. Will check out asap.
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12.01.2015 - 02:20
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Zap on 12.01.2015 at 02:16

Wait, how did I miss this? I liked their demo a lot, but must have completely forgotten about them. Will check out asap.

It's pretty good, and has grown on me a lot in the past week. Unfortunately there are no full streams yet (that I know of), so you might have to do some snooping around
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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12.01.2015 - 02:23
Zap
Guest
Written by Auntie Sahar on 12.01.2015 at 02:20

Unfortunately there are no full streams yet (that I know of), so you might have to do some snooping around

I guess it's time to put on the wooden leg and eyepatch
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12.01.2015 - 02:59
Rating: 8
Susan
Smeghead
Awesome!! Their winning demo was just gorgeous Well-written review of this!!!
----
"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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13.01.2015 - 22:18
Erik M.

Damn, I'm eager to listen to this album but like you said, I can't stream it anywhere. I hate it when albums aren't on Youtube, Bandcamp or Grooveshark.
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13.01.2015 - 22:54
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Erik M. on 13.01.2015 at 22:18

Damn, I'm eager to listen to this album but like you said, I can't stream it anywhere. I hate it when albums aren't on Youtube, Bandcamp or Grooveshark.

Next best thing: the demo is on their Bandcamp, which isn't too far off from the sound at work here, just a little less refined.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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01.06.2016 - 14:39
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
You have this the same rating as Four Phantoms?
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01.06.2016 - 16:29
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Guest on 01.06.2016 at 14:39

You have this the same rating as Four Phantoms?

Meh, I thought it was pretty good. I'm actually really looking forward to what comes next from these guys. Four Phantoms is definitely better though
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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