Label: Blasphemous Rumours Promotion
Genre: Black/Doom Metal
Length: 33:50
--------------------
Embalsamado is a black/doom metal band from Brazil, formed in 2013. In 2018, the band released their first album, Vasta Escuridão, followed in 2022 by their second opus, Abismo, which I will be reviewing today. It should be noted that this album will soon be reissued in a limited edition of 50 cassette copies and 100 CD copies, via the labels Blasphemous Rumours Promotion and Remorseless Records.
Abismo is an album consisting of seven tracks with a total running time of 33:50. It features intense and deeply occult black/doom metal. The guitars are heavily distorted, the drums stand out particularly in several passages, and the powerful, angry vocals sometimes take on beastly tones. Tempo changes are not very frequent but always well placed, contributing to a heavy, dark and funereal atmosphere. This album does not revolutionise the genre, but it will appeal to fans of oppressive doom atmospheres dominated by a strong black metal influence.
As for memorable moments, what I particularly enjoyed about the first track, Lágrima Fria, were the melodies and atmosphere that set in at 2:21. Then, at 5:00, a mysterious atmosphere takes shape to conclude the track. On Canto Noturno, from 1:09 onwards, the keyboards create an aura that is both dark and melancholic; and at 3:31, the rhythm picks up, accompanied by a powerful vocal scream. As the seconds tick by, the intensity increases and the drums become even more noticeable. The track Abismo opens with an electric atmosphere carried by evil screams and laughter, bathed in a heavy atmosphere; then at 3:21, the instruments clearly pick up the pace.
On Trevas, at 0:53, the keyboards create a sinister atmosphere, and the vocal performance on this track is, in my opinion, the best on the album. The outburst that occurs at 3:10 is perfectly placed, adding an extra layer of violence to the song. With Vontade, unlike the previous tracks, which began with a heavy, slow rhythm, we immediately enter into an accelerated cadence before a noticeable deceleration at 1:31, then return to a heavier tempo. Jornada progresses towards a more beastly atmosphere, thanks in particular to the vocals; in the middle of the track, the atmosphere becomes darker (the sound of bells reinforces this impression), and the intense vocal performance retains this beastly and demonic character. This is my favourite track on the album. Finally, Último Inverno closes this record with an atmospheric and ambient composition, marked by a female narration.
