Mater Thallium: Abandoned By The Sun

From the incredibly creepy front cover to the morose storyline, the new disc from Norwegian heavy progressive rock band Mater Thallium oozes a thick and brooding melancholy that will knock you down if you're not careful.

Hailing from Norway, the band consists of players from the unusually named prog band Procosmian Fannyfiddlers. The musicians include Geir Venom Larzen (guitars, drums, backing vocals), Erik Andås (bass, backing vocals), Håkon Markussen (keyboards, backing vocals) and Peter Falk (lead vocals). Guest musician Mette Jensen provides vocals and flute.

The concept involves the disappearance of a fifteen year old girl and how tragedy follows the people she left behind. The story is incredibly grim and the music is befitting of the tragedy that unfolds as the album plays out.

At the heart of this release is intense doom metal with more than the occasional progressive touch. Some interesting chord progressions and wonderful contrasts between soft acoustic led passages and heavy dirges of doom laden riffage give the album plenty of balls but with gentler moments allowing the listener room to breathe. The vocals of Falk are solid as his monotone yet melodic delivery fits the music like a glove. The use of organ is also prevalent and the entire album has a retro feel yet also sounds modern as well.

Some of my favourites include the album opening "Sudden Dereliction" with its Sabbath-like riffs and gothic tinged organ, the Renaissance influenced "Suicidium" with chant-like choir vocals and organ drenched arrangement and the dynamic "Finite", an intoxicating blend of softer arpeggio-led guitar and crashing rhythms of heaviness.

While fans of doom metal will surely want to get their hands on this one, I think fans of progressive rock, especially the heavier variety, will also find much to enjoy. Released on Autumnsongs Records.

Track Listing:
ACT I
1. Sudden Dereliction (8:15)
2. Suicidium (2:01)
3. Exiled Witness (5:49)
4. Maternal Mortality (6:45)
ACT II
5. Fear Of Water (6:29)
6. Mother Free (5:41)
7. Purgatorial Membrane (2:38)
8. Finite (9:31)

Added: May 6th 2015
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Label's Official Site
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Language: english

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