Originally formed in Italy but now split between Italy and Estonia, death/doom band Ferum has unleashed their debut full-length Asunder/Erode which comes nearly four years after their EP Vergence. When it comes to the genre there are often clear deviations between the filthier, grimy American sound and gothic, sorrowful one that the British and Scandinavian bands formulated in the 90s, and Ferum pulls from a lot of the former and some of the latter. Coming in with slow methodical riffs that feel like they could drown you in sludge and the occasional full-on blast, this group offers a familiar sound but does it in a way that is sure to appeal to fans of those formative years of death/doom.
Ferum makes it clear from the beginning of Asunder/Erode just what listeners are in for, as opening track “Halfhead” lurches forward methodically with booming drums and grimier guitar and bass riffs. The sound is decidedly old-school with its murky yet warm tone, and the way the drums pop out over top of the recording are sure to bring a number of classic 90s death/doom albums to mind. The songs here prefer slower to mid-range tempos, often letting the atmosphere build slowly through lumbering tonality before breaking into some faster moments that are closer to traditional death metal. At times the filth and grime subside slightly in favor of some darker melodies that hint at the cleaner tones the British death/doom scene developed in the 90s, but Asunder/Erode never truly makes that transition. Instead, the sound remains closer to the gnarlier sounds of American bands like Cianide and Autopsy while still offering up elements that help Ferum to diverge from those exact sounds. And for a good portion of the record the bands absolutely nails it, as songs like “The Undead Truth” and “Belong” hit that sweet spot between death and doom that’s so appealing. The highlight of Asunder/Erode for me is easily “Monolithic Acquiescence”, which slows things down to an almost funeral doom crawl and adds in some haunting organs at the beginning that send a sense of dread emanating out of your speakers. Unfortunately, the three tracks that follow don’t quite reach that same level and the softer yet creepy outro feels misplaced after the crushing intensity of the rest of the album. It’s not bad but seems like it could’ve been more effective as a mood piece at the beginning or mid-point of Asunder/Erode rather than ending things in such muted fashion.
Ferum’s guitarist Samantha handles all the vocals throughout Asunder/Erode, and she delivers an extremely distorted and raspy scream/growl that towers above the instrumentals. This works well with the filthier tone and general sense of unease that the album creates, as the vocals have this almost inhuman presence to them that adds to the experience. As with the guitar work there’s a lot of Cianide and Autopsy vibes here, so it makes sense that Cianide’s Mike Perun appears on “The Undead Truth”, and his even lower growls work well alongside Samantha’s raspier style. This is one of those genres where the ranges are sometimes limited and run the risk of repetition, but Ferum spaces out their verses appropriately and there are enough subtle shifts throughout that keeps things sounding razor sharp from beginning to end.
It’s clear that Ferum has a love for the earlier takes on death/doom, and the band has done a good job of capturing this same grimy and haunting atmosphere while putting their own stamp on it. Admittedly the album feels like it peaks with “Monolithic Acquiescence” despite still having three more tracks afterwards, and the softer outro also makes it fade out and lessens the overall impact. Yet even with that being the case, the murky atmospherics and capturing of that old-school sound did draw me back and there’s quite a bit of potential on display here. A few meaningful tweaks to track order and some expansion of the funeral doom leaning moments could go a long way in the future, and I’ll be watching to see where this group goes next. Asunder/Erode is available from Unorthodox Emanations/Avantgarde Music.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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