A Sad Sadness Song (2012)

Out of these 80 minutes with melancholic classical music vs. extreme metal there are 5.35 minutes that puzzle me quite a bit. The album's fifth track "Latent Thistle" could just have been on any Opeth album, minus the vocals. The rest of the album contains of these drone-like black metal material we know from bands such as Wolves In The Throne Room, Drudkh and more. However, ca. 60 % of the album is pure melancholica.

Heavy piano and acoustic guitars, shrieking vocals, folk influences and whatnot. "Griseus" is an album that contains much music, yet feels quite simple. And I don't mean this in a negative way. The album is perfect for a walk in the woods, or as background music when you read a good book. There's only a couple of parts that really stands out in the midst of melancholy. Take the last four minutes of the eminent "Loss". The way the music is built up there is brilliant.

Overall the album feels a bit more lengthy than it actually is, something that's rarely a positive thing with music. I think the composer (yes, this is a one-man band) would benefit from being a bit more focused. Like, making this a one hour long album instead of making it a 80 minutes ride through gloomy landscapes. This said, "Griseus" is a solid album with a solid sound and it deserves more attention than it'll get. Especially since this is one that needs time to be digested.

http://aquilus.bandcamp.com/

Rating: 5 / 6

Composed by Roy Kristensen