Band:	Colosseum
Album:	Chapter 2: Numquam
Style:	Funeral doom metal
Release date:	January 2009

01. Numquam
02. Towards The Infinite
03. Demons Swarm By My Side
04. The River
05. Narcosis
06. Prosperity
07. Outro

With great shame yours truly admits that Colosseum's first album "Chapter I: Delirium" passed by him largely unnoticed. Yes, I knew who they were and that they were received well by everyone, but still, or perhaps it was just that, I never bothered to do some in depth research. Lucky for me the Finns of Colosseum then released a new album and I was the designated one to review it, and hell, they've sure proven that I should never have skipped them in the first place!

"Chapter II: Numquam" is a Funeral Doom album in the trademark Finnish style. You can count on slow dirges, deep and drawn out growls, the famous "hit bass drums-go to the restroom-come back-hit again"-type of drums. This band is a little faster than usual though, you can only make it back in time if you're only going for a quick number one. These basic ingredients are covered under a massive layer of synthesizers. If you're a fan of Shape Of Despair, you know exactly what this layer of synthesizers sounds like. Immense, sweet and melancholic are keywords for this wall of sound.

Within this enormous layer they have built the best part of their music: orchestral arrangements of such grand nature that they will even take the most seasoned Funeral Doom lover by surprise. Listen to the second half of "Towards The Infinite" to know what I mean. With great movements waves of melancholy forged by (synthesizer-) trumpets, cellos and soaring lead guitars sweep throughout the album, sparsely enough to still surprise and often enough to pleasure the listeners.

My only issue with the album is that it is a little on the safe side. This is a problem I have with more Finnish Funeral Doom bands, they often just lack that extra bite. Sadness can be translated into wonderful, beautiful music with free-flowing and emotive solos, immense walls of mourning and deeply anguished growls, but man, do I wish these guys would throw in an angrier, more fucked off part. But that's probably just me and my definition of depression.

By all means this is a great album for the (Funeral) Doom fanatic and it might even bring new fans to the genre. As for me? It's time for a long due purchase. Two, actually.