MURKRAT
Drudging The Mire
Aesthetic Death
CD
Australia
Doom
Druga duża płyta australijskiego żeńskiego duetu.
Prymitywny, surowy i monotonny, ale jednocześnie urokliwy doom metal najwyższego kalibru!
Dla fanów SKEPTICISM, EVOKEN, THERGOTHON, PANTHEIST!
Metal Archives:
Funeral doom is an acquired taste - plain and simple. You have to appreciate the sound of utter, complete, misery. You have to expect the music to creep you out every now and then. Most importantly, you have to be ready to hear some VERY SLOW music. This is exactly what you get with Murkrat's new album, Drudging the Mire. While on their self-titled album, they played more traditional gothic/doom, this release is 100% funeral doom/death. Every second of Drudging the Mire is music from the abysmal, dark mind of a demented soul.
Mandy Andreson has proven, once again, that there can be good metal led by a woman. The idea of funeral doom with female vocals is one that most metalheads would probably cringe at, but this album proves that such a thing can be done right. Mandy's vocals aren't just clean, female vocals. When you hear her, you forget that you are listening to a woman. I'm not saying she sounds like a man, what I mean is that Mandy sounds nothing like what female vocalists are made out to be. She sounds like a strange combination of Linda Blair and a Gregorian choir. This bizarre combo suits the slow, filthy, doom as if she were the narrator of a grim horror story.
One thing about this album that is a huge step up from the first release is the quality of the music. On the self-titled album, the music was so distorted and buzzed that I confused the guitar for the keyboard. Here, the music sounds clear, the guitars are crushing and deep. While the first album had few pianos or synths, there are bells, pianos, and synths to add atmosphere to the pounding, dirty guitars. On The Mighty Spires, there are even pipe organs to make the music sound even more like it is being played in hell. The more symphonic music mixing with the downbeat funeral doom could make any listener mistake this for Stormcrowfleet.
The cover art Mandy has made suits the album perfectly. What we see is a woman being attacked by a grim figure in a cult robe and pilgrim hat. While listening to the album, you can't get this spine tingling image out of your head. The music sounds exactly the way the cover art looks. Dark, terrifying, abysmal, and of course, doomed. Finally, to wrap it all up, the lyrics of the songs are so twisted, demented, and vengeful, you would think you were reading the confessions of a serial killer.
Now, I know that most of the funeral doomsters out there are going to be steered away by the female vocals, but for those who are still interested, I STRONGLY urge you to listen to this album, and I suggest you listen to it all the way through. The sound of both desolation and vengeance in Murkrat's masterpiece is something that simply should not be missed. Even though I recommend this to all people who enjoy funeral doom, I especially think fans of Skepticism, Fallen, Evoken, Thergothon, Funeral, Abstract Spirit, Pantheist, and Worship should give this a try.
1. Processional: Drudging The Mire
2. I, Rodent
3. Faceless
4. World
5. Electric Womb
6. The Mighty Spires
7. Speak
8. Berceuse – Slow Immersion
