Devotion - The Harrowing
This time I want to review an album which is called "The Harrowing" by the Spanish band Devotion. This album is released on January 25th, 2021 via Memento Mori and includes 13 tracks. We are going to listen and check the album that is kind of mixed of South-American plus west European old school death metal style. It's a cool stuff.
HERE WE GO…
The first track brings you the horror atmosphere and I like it. It seems that everything is gray. Second track's intro could be better. I think it losing its power which is not good to me and verse sections are the same and it seems like something boring but the chorus part is good. Especially the keyboard sound is my favorite part of this song. Changing the riff after the chorus is good either. It makes you savage and you'll enjoy it definitely. Solo part is something normal and usual and the section between the solo and last part before it is not my type. The solo section could be better. Some parts of bass line were not heavy enough. It could be just like guitar line to show heavy.
Track three 'Megiddo's' is my heaven. The intro is magnificent and the screams are good. This is specific track of this album. Drum is good. Solo part is not good enough and I think it's not related to the rhythm. It's my personal opinion maybe I'm wrong. Choir part is good and it brings you the hell. Generally is a good track. I don't understand the black part of the song. The song could be finished at 4:01 but it doesn't. Maybe there is some kind of concept behind the composer's mind which is respectful but I don't like it.
'Brethren In Gloom' as it shows is like the first track. I mean about the atmosphere is the same and I don't get any special phase from it just because I've heard something similar before.
'Valley Of Death' is a slow death metal track and it's good one to enjoy. Changing riffs and rhythms are good. Again the solo line is not good. Maybe the other reason of not being good for solos is the neglect of mixing or whatever you call it. It's completely in the listener's face… umm… it seems that the other band mates are playing in next room but suddenly the soloist plays exactly beside you. Maybe I'm wrong about it but I still think it could be better.
'Birth Of Horror' is a good track. I have same idea about the solo. Riffs are heavy and good and enjoyable. Church sound is fabulous. Drum is great and it plays different rhythms which has made this track a good track. Again I don't get the breakdown section. I mean it could be finished at 3:44 but there is solo drum and the resume of the song. I think it could be another track. Anyway it's good.
Seventh track is another track like the intro and the other one. I have no idea…
'Feast Of Esdras' is another old school death metal which is bad ass track. It begins slowly and it will be wild suddenly. I don't get the connection between the riffs but after 1:35, the track will be fantastic… specially the speed blast part. Wow… that was great and I've listened to it several times. I could be continued. The keyboard line is from the hell and really like the notes. This track's solo was better than the other and I like it.
The 9th track 'The Mournful Beam' has a super intro and I like it. Artificial harmonics have been used on time and it sounds sick. This track face you the devil and you will feel the power that you have the control of the world and it's my favorite track of the album. Riffs are well enough. I still think that this track could be end at 3:14 but the other part of the song is good.
'Depravity' has pretty dark atmosphere. 'Demon Sleep' begins fast. The breakdown is so long and it could be shorter. Solo is good and it has feelings. The keyboard's sound behind the solo guitar is pleasant and I really like it. This track can be called a 90s death-doom track. Again we can hear the omission of mixing. The track was fantastic.
12th track is called 'Virtue Besmirched' which includes many sections. In this song we can hear piano clearly and it has been added on time and it is really palatial. There are lots of different sections in this song and each one is good. I enjoyed this track either. The last track is mysterious like the other short tracks.
Generally I like the album but I think it could be better. I mean it had some flaws and it can be fixed for the next album. I think mixing and mastering, bass lines, solos can be better in the future stuff.
4 / 5 STARS
HERE WE GO…
The first track brings you the horror atmosphere and I like it. It seems that everything is gray. Second track's intro could be better. I think it losing its power which is not good to me and verse sections are the same and it seems like something boring but the chorus part is good. Especially the keyboard sound is my favorite part of this song. Changing the riff after the chorus is good either. It makes you savage and you'll enjoy it definitely. Solo part is something normal and usual and the section between the solo and last part before it is not my type. The solo section could be better. Some parts of bass line were not heavy enough. It could be just like guitar line to show heavy.
Track three 'Megiddo's' is my heaven. The intro is magnificent and the screams are good. This is specific track of this album. Drum is good. Solo part is not good enough and I think it's not related to the rhythm. It's my personal opinion maybe I'm wrong. Choir part is good and it brings you the hell. Generally is a good track. I don't understand the black part of the song. The song could be finished at 4:01 but it doesn't. Maybe there is some kind of concept behind the composer's mind which is respectful but I don't like it.
'Brethren In Gloom' as it shows is like the first track. I mean about the atmosphere is the same and I don't get any special phase from it just because I've heard something similar before.
'Valley Of Death' is a slow death metal track and it's good one to enjoy. Changing riffs and rhythms are good. Again the solo line is not good. Maybe the other reason of not being good for solos is the neglect of mixing or whatever you call it. It's completely in the listener's face… umm… it seems that the other band mates are playing in next room but suddenly the soloist plays exactly beside you. Maybe I'm wrong about it but I still think it could be better.
'Birth Of Horror' is a good track. I have same idea about the solo. Riffs are heavy and good and enjoyable. Church sound is fabulous. Drum is great and it plays different rhythms which has made this track a good track. Again I don't get the breakdown section. I mean it could be finished at 3:44 but there is solo drum and the resume of the song. I think it could be another track. Anyway it's good.
Seventh track is another track like the intro and the other one. I have no idea…
'Feast Of Esdras' is another old school death metal which is bad ass track. It begins slowly and it will be wild suddenly. I don't get the connection between the riffs but after 1:35, the track will be fantastic… specially the speed blast part. Wow… that was great and I've listened to it several times. I could be continued. The keyboard line is from the hell and really like the notes. This track's solo was better than the other and I like it.
The 9th track 'The Mournful Beam' has a super intro and I like it. Artificial harmonics have been used on time and it sounds sick. This track face you the devil and you will feel the power that you have the control of the world and it's my favorite track of the album. Riffs are well enough. I still think that this track could be end at 3:14 but the other part of the song is good.
'Depravity' has pretty dark atmosphere. 'Demon Sleep' begins fast. The breakdown is so long and it could be shorter. Solo is good and it has feelings. The keyboard's sound behind the solo guitar is pleasant and I really like it. This track can be called a 90s death-doom track. Again we can hear the omission of mixing. The track was fantastic.
12th track is called 'Virtue Besmirched' which includes many sections. In this song we can hear piano clearly and it has been added on time and it is really palatial. There are lots of different sections in this song and each one is good. I enjoyed this track either. The last track is mysterious like the other short tracks.
Generally I like the album but I think it could be better. I mean it had some flaws and it can be fixed for the next album. I think mixing and mastering, bass lines, solos can be better in the future stuff.
4 / 5 STARS
1. The Harrowing
2. God Forlorn
3. Megiddo's
4. Brethren In Gloom
5. Valley Of Death
6. Birth Of Horror
7. Mangled Angels
8. Feast Of Esdras
9. The Mournful Beam
10. Depravity
11. Demon Sleep
12. Virtue Besmirched
13. Penumbra
2. God Forlorn
3. Megiddo's
4. Brethren In Gloom
5. Valley Of Death
6. Birth Of Horror
7. Mangled Angels
8. Feast Of Esdras
9. The Mournful Beam
10. Depravity
11. Demon Sleep
12. Virtue Besmirched
13. Penumbra
