Veni Domine - IIII: The Album of Labour
Rivel Records - RRCD017 - 10/2004
By Patrick Walsh
Swedish doom-merchants Veni Domine return with their fourth album of epic-doom in the vein of Candlemass with touches of groups like Virgin Steele and Savatage. IIII: The IIII: Album of Labour very much wants to be regarded as 'epic', and when 'Waiting for the Bloodred Sky' kicks in you'd be hard-pressed to disagree as a chilling acoustic introduction gives way to a fairly crushing riff. So far so good. The guitars could certainly use a little help in the production department as they're slightly too clean to convey any real sense of dread, but touches like the strange string-squeal of 'Eli Lema Sabachtani' give the thing an air of curious obscurity that works to its favour. The main problem with IIII: The Album of Labour, though, is to be found in the performance of Torbjorn's vocals. Yes, they're emotional and whatnot, but i'll be damned if the constant high-pitched wails don't grate by the third track. He seems to wander in and out of key at a whim, and doesn't do the material on this cd justice at all, because it's really quite good in places with a nice atmosphere weaved by the guitars and an understated but effective use of keyboards. Fans of this variety of doom will find something to please them within IIII: The Album of Labour, but they'll have to penetrate a wall of obnoxious wails to get there unfortunately.
6.5/10
Rivel Records' Official Website
Rivel Records - RRCD017 - 10/2004
By Patrick Walsh
Swedish doom-merchants Veni Domine return with their fourth album of epic-doom in the vein of Candlemass with touches of groups like Virgin Steele and Savatage. IIII: The IIII: Album of Labour very much wants to be regarded as 'epic', and when 'Waiting for the Bloodred Sky' kicks in you'd be hard-pressed to disagree as a chilling acoustic introduction gives way to a fairly crushing riff. So far so good. The guitars could certainly use a little help in the production department as they're slightly too clean to convey any real sense of dread, but touches like the strange string-squeal of 'Eli Lema Sabachtani' give the thing an air of curious obscurity that works to its favour. The main problem with IIII: The Album of Labour, though, is to be found in the performance of Torbjorn's vocals. Yes, they're emotional and whatnot, but i'll be damned if the constant high-pitched wails don't grate by the third track. He seems to wander in and out of key at a whim, and doesn't do the material on this cd justice at all, because it's really quite good in places with a nice atmosphere weaved by the guitars and an understated but effective use of keyboards. Fans of this variety of doom will find something to please them within IIII: The Album of Labour, but they'll have to penetrate a wall of obnoxious wails to get there unfortunately.
6.5/10
Rivel Records' Official Website
