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Band: Mournful Congregation
Album title: The Incubus Of Karma
Release date: 23 March 2018
Label: Osmose Productions
Tracklist:
01. Indwelling Ascent
02. Whispering Spiritscapes
03. The Rubaiyat
04. The Incubus Of Karma
05. Scripture Of Exaltation & Punishment
06. A Picture Of The Devouring Gloom Devouring The Spheres Of Being
The kings of funeral doom from Adelaide, Australia, are back with The Incubus Of Karma. Since Mournful Congregation's birth in 1993 following with the demo a year later, Weeping, they have made a name for themselves early on, giving them a household name when 'funeral doom' is brought up. 25 years later they're going stronger than ever carving out huge albums suited for the tough world we live in today, to sit down and experience the music.
13 years since their landmark, and possibly Mournful Congregation's most adored album, The Monad Of Creation, and a seven year wait after their masterful album The Book Of Kings, they come out with an album spanning 80 minutes which is for sure worth that wait. You are greeted with a weeping guitar just dripping with melancholy as the first track carries you forth with beautiful lead solo's and acoustics from Damon Good and Justin Hartwig. But don't be fooled because this is just getting you ready for the yawning void ahead.
These fellas from Australia (not a place you'd expect to unearth such a band) sure know how to bring the misery. The album starts off with a nearly 16-minute track titled "Whispering Spiritscapes" with heart-crushing palm-muted riffs, spoken word, and dissonant growls. There is a sense of maturity and professionalism here, with the long build-ups toward the end of songs, being able to conjure such huge vista's etc. Mournful Congregation truly knows how to craft a song (You'd expect that after being around for so long), personally I find with some funeral doom bands, it is easy to become mundane and lose interest due to recycling of riffs and what-not, but I am happy to say that by no means does this band become dull. The production has improved ten-fold here and definitely worked in their favor, and even better lead-work it just shows this band will just keep evolving and staying together like this for so many years should not go unnoticed.
The stand-out track here, and the second longest they've ever done behind the 33-minute The Book Of Kings title track, has to be the final one "A Picture Of The Devouring Gloom Devouring The Spheres Of Being" (that was quite the mouthful). This track may be my favorite they've ever done, the way it builds and then suddenly drops off into a break with an acoustic guitar, which is a nice touch. Continuing into a very slow and carefully composed riff, breaking up into big ring-outs followed by another beautiful solo.
I couldn't be more satisfied with my journey listening to this masterful band through the years, and I am glad they worked so hard to bring us this sure-to-be classic album, coming to me at a very tough time, for that I am grateful, and I'm sure you will be too if you have the patience. If I could give this album 11/10 I would.
Review written by: Tom Necklen
Rating: 10/10
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