Review by Jason HealeyMournful Congregation are a South Australian duo who have recently released their debut demo entitled Weeping. And Weeping is so aptly titled, as the miserable and melancholic aura dribbles from the speakers, united with the vocalists painfully heavy groan, the equation rambles along in mournful unison. Weeping is unmistakably doom, and some of the best that my aural senses have been commanded by. The opening track Fading Light Of A Dying Sun meanders, and is highlighted with a mild Eastern feel, that crops up in certain passages, calling to mind sections of the immortal 'Reptile House' EP. . . . which I am sure you will all know. Astralic Dreams pursues this mode of thought, and the high pitched guitars give the track an edge, coincisive with the aforementioned vocalists voice finding a clear, narrative mode, before being driven again by a barreling double kick, and searing harmonics.
The greatest track feature is that of the title, with its acoustic air and mild ambience. as I have said before, Australia has some excellent bands in the form of Bestial Warlust, Abremalin and Misery. Mournful Congregation display another extreme in modern music, and do it superbly, putting them in tune with the country's finest. So write to this band, or endure a life riddled with happiness and joy. Now who wants that?
(Review has been edited)
Rating A+
This is the absolute best doom/ death demo I've ever heard. Mournful Congregation will induce you to bury yourself alive! This four song demo is indeed some of the most depressing, gloomy, despair inducing music ever to come out of the doom scene. Mournful Congregation is a three piece band from Australia that'll have the neighbours cringing behind locked doors, manic depressives committing suicide, and Type O Negative fans praying to their false god of Steele for protection. I could just go on and on about this extremely masterful demo, but I'll try to contain myself for the nonce. The four songs on this demo are Fading Light Of A Dying Sun, Astralic Dreams, Suffer The Storms and the instrumental Weeping.
Every song is killer, but I'd have to say that Fading Light Of A Dying Sun and Suffer The Storms are my two favourites, because the lyrics both deal with suicide. The vocals are a mixture between guttural, death metal style, whispered and clean style vocals. The guitar riffs are slow, ominous and mournful. They are very basic and subdued, which heightens the depressing mood of the music. My only complaint is that the bass can barely be heard throughout the demo. Plus, a lyric sheet would've been a nice touch, too, This demo has excellent sound production, is pro duped and comes with a pro printed cover. In my opinion, Mournful Congregation is even better than such doom/ death underground heavyweights as : Dusk, Skepticism, Symphony of Grief, Thergothen and Thorns of the Carrion. So if you get into any of these bands, I guarantee you'll freak on this stuff!!!
Dahentire 'zine review
Mournful Congregation (Aus)
Weeping Demo 1994
The first release of the Aussie band features four songs of intense and slow doom metal. Well, to be precise, let's say that the music is better depicted as melodic doom death, in the vein of bands such as Anathema and My Dying Bride. The influences of these two bands are remarkable throughout the entire demo, but Mournful Congregation already showed in these songs their pre-eminent features: slowness and darkness. Compared to the following works, Weeping stands as a good debut, but it lacks much of the brilliance of An Epic Dream Of Desire. The sound of the recording is actually good, but layout is raw. Maybe the main interest of this recording is that it shows how a band with common influences among many others can achieve its own personality without denying its musical roots. We would mention the opening track, Fading Light Of A Dying Sun, as in our opinion a classic of the band. This demo, as well as An Epic Dream Of Desire is still available ($5) at Mournful Congregations address. . . .
From those weighed with inner turmoil. . . .
Typical doom-death metal, melancholic and sad but unfortunately bringing nothing new to the scene. This is the kind of band that can be quite enjoyable if you're a die-hard doom fan and don't like evolutions but, personally, I'm starting to get sick with so many bands playing the same riffs and two hours long tunes. Well played but far too unoriginal and unpersonal, not the best way to go if you wanna get a name.