DOOL hasn’t changed a bit.
After taking four years to compose, the band led by Raven van Dorst (vocals/guitar, The Nest), Nick Polak (guitar), Omar Iskandr (guitar), Vincent Kreyder (drums) and JB van der Wal (bass) unveil The Shape of Fluidity, their third album, on Prophecy Productions.
The album gets off to a gentle start with Venus in Flames, which begins with a relatively soothing melody, followed by Raven‘s vocals, which ignite the fire and invoke the catchy rhythm. The heady harmonics fly deftly around the waves of saturation, which eventually slow down before leading into Self-Dissect, where the sound darkens and becomes more menacing, creating intriguing, even oppressive patterns as the voice bewitches us. The soaring Post-Rock overtones pacify the sound, leading us after a solo to The Shape of Fluidity, the eponymous composition, which naturally reveals its haunting tones before weighing them down without warning. We feel as if we’re floating in the capricious rhythm, almost lulled by the quieter passages before drifting into Currents, a kind of eerie two-minute interlude that progresses to Evil in You and its contrasting but extremely effective riffs, especially during the choruses. Unfortunately, the composition is a bit short, and quickly gives way to House of a Thousand Dreams, which again captivates us with its softness and violins, then becomes more mysterious when the second voice appears, much deeper. The riffs steadily flare up, then give birth to the heavy Hermagorgon, which stuns as much as it fascinates, while letting its melodies soar within this majestic track that goes from apathy to massive eruptions in no time at all. The band regains a semblance of tranquility with Hymn for a Memory Lost, which uses its slowness to capture us in its nets thanks to a haunting approach where the shifting vocals combined with the steady riffs perfectly transcribe the melancholy, which will also rub off on The Hand of Creation to close the album with this enigmatic touch where each instrument participates in weaving this misty veil before letting it ignite for an intense final.
DOOL has a unique sound. The musicians once again explore their airy approach between Doom, Post-Metal and Progressive Metal The Shape of Fluidity, creating unforgettable melodies that leave us with a real sense of longing.
95/100
