Doom metal is already an amazing genre since it can be the embodiment of sorrow and loss but add some death metal and gothic elements to it, then it could be even better. That is exactly what England’s Twilight’s Embrace did with their sound. Four years later from their debut full length By Darkness Undone, the group returns with Penance, which truly shows that the band has not lost a step in the four years time since last hearing their music.
The best way to describe Twilight’s Embrace’s sound is to put Gothic era Paradise Lost, Blackwater Park era Opeth and add a little bit of raw, aggressive emotion and heaviness into a blender and out will come Twilight’s Embrace. Each track has moments you want to headbang and moments you’ll raise your lighter in the air. The vocals range from strong and raw death growls, almost blackened screams and serene gothic baritone singing. Tracks like Curtain Call and It’s Too Late are prime examples of flawlessly written death doom metal. The sorrowful atmosphere is there within the melodies as they envelop you and bring on a veil of sadness with a sense of content.
Musically, the instrumentals are far beyond what you could ask for. The guitar work is both catchy and at times complex while the drum patterns keep you following along in a trance. There is no flaw to be found in this EP if you are a fan of doom, death and gothic metal. Personally, this release is one of the best examples of how death doom metal should be done. This is something that belongs in the ranks of Paradise Lost, Katatonia, and Anathema. I would highly recommend checking out this EP, you will not regret it.
Overall Score: 9.0/10
Review by Neil Andersen
