Cosmiclava.deMOURNFUL CONGREGATION / STABAT MATER (s/t) Split 7":
The Suicidal Doom Series of PAINIAC RECORDS continues with another split release, featuring two bands who've contributed to that concept before, as well as sharing a release with German/ French extremists WORSHIP. So it's obvious, that both names will compliment each other very well. Australian MOURNFUL CONGREGATION's song, aptly titled A Slow March To The Burial takes them even more into darkness, compare to their already bleak back catalogue. Despite getting the usual ingredients from them, like very slow, down-tuned guitar riffs, melancholic, morbid melodies as well as the deepest of growls, they take everything one step further than before. Everything just seems even more desolately accomplished. Definitely thumbs up for the OZ-Hearse of the Doomed!
Literally the same can be said about STABAT MATER from Finland and their anthemic Gates having had a quite sick approach already on their split 10", this is even more harsh and disturbing. Slower, deeper and more intense crawl the sound of your speakers, to infest your ears (and mind) with a dose of extreme Doom, that offers a psychotic quality, not too common these days. If both MC and STABAT MATER can maintain their darkened paths, I'm more than looking forward to their next (hopefully full-length) releases.
(Opolus XXXIX AS)
Doom-metal.com Reviews
Again Painiac Records unleashes a fresh slab of extreme doom from its dark dungeons and what else can we do but welcome it with open arms.
Mournful Congregation celebrates a decade of Doom this year and this will be accompanied by an all new full length later this year. Luckily, we get a bit of a teaser in the form of A Slow March To The Burial on this excellent new split 7".
I think it is safe to say that although the song lacks a bit of the epic feel that was present on the last two releases, it is the most solid effort by the band to date. A Slow March To The Burial is just that, and yet so much more. The listener is swept away instantly and sees, feels and exists through the lyrical boy at his father's funeral. The impressionistic lyrics and translation of experience to music form one captivating whole that plods along at the metaphorical funeral pace. It has quickly become one of Doom Metal's clichés, but rarely have I heard it executed so simple, yet so well. After hearing this one can only be anxious for The Monad of Creation, which will see the dark of night later as the Earth drags its course around the accursed sun. . . .
And now Stabat Mater are a bit of an enigma still. Little information can be found on the net about these Finnish doom mongers, and their work has been thus far released through splits with other bands (this one and the one with Worship). Perhaps this will change in the future, but at the moment things are a bit vague. The music speaks for itself though. Where their previous song Give them pain was a little disturbing because of the samples of ladies in a tight situation involving whips, this song is more basic. Slow doom with grunts, riffs and sporadic leads make up Gates which at first seems a bit boring, but manages to engrave itself in your mind so that it becomes a very mellow, pleasing track to listen to. Quite the opposite of its predecessor, I must say, but interesting nonetheless. In short, nothing quite remarkable, but I have a suspicion that Stabat Mater will be able to surprise us sometime in the future with a new trick up their sleeve. As a side note, I just have to mention the oneliners that Painiac engraves into each of its releases. Look for them in the center of your record. This one has:
The tragedy of man is what dies inside himself while he still lives.
A great touch!
Reviewed by: Oscar Strik