Stuporous speaks for the first time.
Created in the Netherlands by Floris Velthuis (guitar/bass/keyboards/drums, Meslamtaea, Schavot, The Color of Rain, Asgrauw), joined by Devi Hisgen (vocals, Teitan, The Color of Rain, Cthuluminati) and Izzy Op de Beeck (horn, Meslamtaea, Waveshard, Detour Doom Ensemble), the band gave birth to Asylum’s Lament, their debut album, in early 2024.
The album kicks off with Parasidious Preludium, a darkly melodic introduction that gradually becomes more distressing, contrasting with more upbeat drumming as it leads into Throne of Madness, where darkness literally explodes. The grimy Old School mix, visceral screams and impressive horn create an unhealthy haunting cacophony, with occasional touches of keyboard or clean vocals, before giving way to Desperation, which starts out slightly less agitated. The quietness is of course disturbed by the appearance of various more or less aggressive vocal parts, which nonetheless offer the horn the opportunity to add a touch of melancholy until Decorating the Willow Tree follows with a hazy, oppressive sound. Vocals anchor themselves in gentleness before bursting into solemn flame, then fully unleashing themselves to give the ambience a much rawer touch which calms down again with sharper Black influences in the background and soaring keyboards. Never Let Me Go returns with an enchanting quietness, which clean vocals once again gradually corrupt, leaving blast to provide the climax, while keyboards develop the more massive aspect of the instrumental, revealing the first soothing notes of Distorted Echoes. The track is relatively different from the others at first, but it eventually places its heavy guitars to accompany us while remaining fairly calm before the sound becomes more majestic again on The Voice That Made Me Do It, keeping its apathetic tones, hauntingly frightening vocals and moments of fury to close the album while making these ten minutes a dreamy journey full of pitfalls that ends in complete silence.
Stuporous adopts grandiose Black Metal influences to adorn its Doom Metal basis, also letting vocals wander through Asylum’s Lament, whether clear or saturated. The band’s unique sound is sure to find its audience.
90/100