Reviewed by Andy Binks

This band first caught my eye when I heard the comparisons to My Dying Bride and Anathema. Dutch band Morphia have blended doom metal with elements of gothic and even black metal influences to create a masterpiece that is as heavy as it is emotional. Every track has its mellow parts and of course, the all important aggressive spells. Atmosphere is created with some great guitar work and the keyboards feature prominently throughout the album. The comparisons to the aforementioned bands becomes more evident as the album progresses, however I think it’s fair to say that Morphia have a sound all their own. Dual vocalists are used on some tracks to great effect, the best example being “Long Lost” with its alternating death/black vocals as the song reaches its amazing climax. The use of clean vocals also adds to some of the more mellow tracks on show. Both lyrically and musically, the album is very dark. It seems to be a cry to God for help amid times of darkness, fear and depression and the music compliments the lyrics perfectly. There are no dull moments at all and this is definitely worth a purchase for all fans of doom metal.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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