LIFELORN is not the usual post-black metal band. The band is just one man simply named A who notes his influences to be “questionable.” Delving into moments of depressive rock and ambient black metal, this release is anything but questionable. Formed around 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, his music speaks for itself. Did we mention that the album is also all instrumental? Makes a great rainy day soundtrack.
Memoirs is the epitome of sorrow and depression. The down-tempo ambiance of the album along with the droning guitars borderline the feel of depressive rock that transitions into black metal at moments. The instrumentals are very somber and dark, bleeding out emotion and sorrow. In most tracks, you can hear the influence of bands like Darkthrone, Burzum and Happy Days. The composition is well sorted and written showing his progression into something deeper than what we could describe. The only flaw to be found is that the distorted guitars seem a little too quiet on this album when present but that’s not too big of a deal because they do not seem to be the main focus here.
Memoirs is a deep and spiritual journey that looks into the darkest reaches of your soul, leaving you empty and void. Take the time to appreciate each track and feel how they speak to you. Lifelorn truly outdid himself on this release by reaching into his mind and writing what some of us could not explain but maybe only music can describe. A must have release for those who want instrumental music that goes beyond the boundaries of the norm and brings something unique to the table.
The album can be found here:
http://lifelorn.bandcamp.com/album/memoirs
MY VOTE:
4.8 / 5.0
