Label: Independent
Date: January 10th, 2023
Before I start to write this review I wanna tell you something. I just discovered some very good side of digitally released stuff. I mean, in this format it doesn’t matter how old stuff is, it can be released even more than one year ago (just like it’s in case of just reviewed full-length), because this is still available and you don’t have to be scared it’s maybe impossible to hit your copy. Well, it doesn’t change my general opinion and the fact I prefer physical copies indeed. Well, there’s one more great fact connected with this option of releasing demos, albums… And this is about the possibility for ensembles, especially coming from exotic on metal map countries, to spread their music worldwide.
By the way, the band comes from the country most, I’d even take a risk to say: anyone, if you would never suspect about having a metal scene, even if this is very rickety as hell and contains… two bands. Country I’m talking about is in the middle of Africa and this is Uganda. The fact is musicians nowadays only one member still live in Kampala, but all of the guys were born there and the band was formed in 2009 in the capital and the most populous city of Uganda as well. Guys recorded several demos, EPs, singles and of course albums. Just reviewed one is their third, let’s call it, huge work and we have to do six quite long songs – both the longest and the shortest ones are number one and two. Anyways, you’ll probably ask me now what kind of our beloved music guys play. Well, this is what in the early nineties made my jaw drop. Of course I’ll not name any band here, but the ones I strongly associate Vale of Amonition’s creativity with are legendary bands who’re both from England (one from Halifax and second from Coventry). Well, one of them unfortunately was, because they split up in 2013.
Anyways, listening to “Immortalizing…” is pure pleasure for me. Probably that’s why this review is leading anywhere so far. I just wanna have an excuse to listen to it as long as possible and since during writing the review I always listen to reviewed stuff… But don’t worry! I’ll tell you more about what we’re able to listen to here. And I do it now. These six compositions feels for me like I listened for the very first time to “As the Flowers Withers”. “Turn Loose the Swans” or “Forest of Equilibrium”. I know huge fans of such creativity just tend to read what I write, because my last sentence is enough recommendation. But fortunately there are also others who will not do it. And it doesn’t make my scribble nonsensical. So… Music is both heavy, overwhelming, but not depressive at all (at least in my case) and melodic enough. Of course our Ugandan friends aren’t any, even very well, copies mentioned before ensembles. They create their own music deeply based in the roots of death/doom metal. It’s just about the common character of the music. Here we have here huge guitar tuning, riffs are played just like it’d be written in a schoolbook “How to play death/doom metal” – round and a little bit dragged. Also other things are here exactly like they should be. I mean both slow in the most tempo, but at the same time developed, drumming and variable vocalization. Victor sometimes uses growling, sometimes clean singing as well.
Anyways, If I didn’t check out how long is this full-length (what’s a part of my job), then I’d never believe it takes forty-four minute and twenty-one seconds. this is one the best albums of this genre I have heard in a really long time, I think maybe even a decade or something. And I’m actually deadly serious about it. That’s why everyone who likes such creativity should contact the band and grab this full-length right now! Anyways. I repeat one more time what I wrote in my last review. I really hope some label will be interested in releasing this masterpiece on CD soon. It’s very interesting music and absoöutelly deserves that! But before it’ll happen, grab this digital album so far. In my opinion even if it’d cost twice as much, it still was not too much for such a masterpiece.
