Mournful Congregation continues what it started.
After last year’s first part, Ben Petch (guitar, Storm Breeder), Damon Good (vocals/bass/guitar/keyboards, StarGazer, Cauldron Black Ram), Justin Hartwig (guitar, Black Orchid), Ben Newsome (bass, Cauldron Black Ram) and Tim Call (drums, Aldebaran, Nightfell, The Howling Wind) unveil The Exuviae of Gods – Part II, their new EP.
Heads Bowed is the first track to capture our minds with its heady melodies, followed of course by slow pachydermic riffs which greet the muffled howls. Dissonant leads join the dark march, adding an eerie touch to the ambient melancholy which eventually speeds up a bit to offer soaring harmonics before a gentler final, opening the way to The Forbidden Abysm and its strangely soothing veil of heaviness. A few vocal parts slightly disturb the quietness, which adopts more raw tones as it slows down, but keyboards also add these suffocating oppressive sounds a majestic touch before the jerky final leads us to The Paling Crest, the longest of the three tracks. While the initial melodies are relatively soft and clear, saturation naturally returns to take its place in the company of haunting drums and ghostly howls, with a few more soaring pauses before gradually fading out.
This new EP from Mournful Congregation was obviously eagerly awaited by all the band’s fans, proving once again its reputation. The Exuviae of Gods – Part II is as melancholic as tasty.
85/100
