RIGOR SARDONICOUS (Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus) CD

It's my first meeting with this US-band, although it's their fifth release since 2004. Their music is much slower than the time they need in the studio to record a new album. Somewhere between Evoken, Winter and Skepticism on more powerful tranquillizer , this turns out to be a nice album of sub-sonic simplistic dirge. It would've been much more entertaining if they had written more tracks like 'Alveus de Somnus' or 'Prophecies I - Preapocalyptica', that are very close to Winter, one of most unique bands of the last twenty years.

Sadly RIGOR SARDONICOUS added also a touch of goth kitsch to their obscure cryptic atmospheres so that I can't enjoy the whole album. Especially the acoustic opener 'Mane de Maeroris' and the booklet could've been taken from any gothic band. Well, as far as the music is concerned I have had the same problem with the last Evoken album and that's the main reason why I never become a big fan of such bands.

At least, the vocals are also very monotonous here, although you can't really call them vocals. They have more in common with a troll who's trying to find his way through a gigantic cavern. Everyone who likes minimalistc gothic-tinged death metal and slow as fuck riffs should take an interest. The album includes also three live videos and has been released through Paragon Records.
(KK)
www.smilingdeath.com
www.paragonrecords.com