The Pitch: Finnish progressive/melodic death metal band Foredoomed deliver their self-released full length album in the style of Opeth, Wintersun, Ihsahn
What I Like: Foredoomed have made a new fan out of me. Pulling on influences from some of my favorite bands over the years, Ordeal is a smorgasbord of various death metal styles. The collision of catchy riffing with epic synths recalls the finest moments of Dark Tranquillity, as do the soothing baritone clean vocals. Certain passages had me thinking back to roadtrips cranking Soilwork's Natural Born Chaos. But Foredoomed have some strong progressive leanings as well. Numerous hooks transition into very Opethian territory, and "Departure"'s vocal performance sounds straight out of Still Life. Later still, there are several softer interludes worthy of Ihsahn's catalog. These changes in volume and texture greatly expand the dynamic range of the album, leading to a highly rewarding experience from start to finish right through the massive 15 minute titular closer. I'm also digging the almost Megaman sounding synth intro to "Shade Of The Darker Sun."
Critiques: I honestly can't think of much negative to say about the album. Nothing really knocked me off my feet, but this album is still a consistent 8-9 through and through.
The Verdict: Ordeal is a very consistent death metal outing brimming with artful crescendos and dramatic lows. If you were looking to scratch your itch for the best of what the genre has to offer, you could do a lot worse than Foredoomed.
Flight's Fav's: Ghost Recurrance, Undawning, Search For Tomorrow
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it with others to help us grow. You can also like and follow us on the social media of your choice with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and support us on Patreon.