Published: November 13, 2020

Marche Funèbre – Einderlicht (Hypnotic Dirge Records) (September 25)

Empyrium‘s Markus Stock produces this gloomy gothic doom/death act out of Belgium.

With Stock at the helm, you know it’s going to sound impeccable…well, at least on the cleaner toned bits, of which there are many. I guess he’s unused to distorted tones nowadays, given how little they’re emphasized in his own band and those he produces like Alcest, which results in a still clean, but somewhat muted if not muffled feel that brings modern remasters of Scott Burns productions to mind (which is odd, given how clear and crisp they sounded back in the day and on original press CDs). In any case, it sounds good across the board…just absolutely crystalline on the quieter acoustic sections.

The band’s sound is decidedly working in the Paradise Lost/My Dying Bride milieu, but firmly within the earlier doom/death periods of either, all growling death vox and heavy distorted riffs that occasionally veer off into blackened tremelo phrases (“when all is said”) and at one or two points get clean and strive for that patented gothic rock baritone (well, in this case, quavering tenor, but he’s trying).

It’s depressing as hell, particularly if you know what the album title means (hint: this album is a likely favorite with Dr. Kevorkian patients), but moments are really good and overall, it simply works.