Search - CORAM LEETHE :: Gates of Oblivion

A delightful blast from 10 years past.

meh | 12/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Just when it appears that what the majority of folks are considering melodeath is quickly going down the drain in a shower of catchy clean vocals, terribly used keyboard melodies, predictable song structures, and a veritable assault of overly used breakdowns; a pitiably small number of bands are diligently and more importantly skillfully fighting back against the trendy tide. Among these, hailing not from Sweden or Finland, are Coram Lethe. Taking a page out of the early 90s book and going back to a time when melodic death metal camped closer to the black metal camp than the hardcore one, these Italians are most definitely a band to be heard.



As always, the first thing my ears pick up on is the albums production; which is superb. You can clearly hear all the instruments including the bass guitar, which is all too often lost these days on metal albums. At the same time the production is not overdone as well. The guitars possess a delightful dirtiness to their sound that continues where the guitarists' tremolo picking, Mirco's high pitched screams and the drummer's love of blast beats left off in contributing to Coram Lethe's black metal stylings. The Francesco/Giacomo (Italian names are ever so cool) guitar duo also serve up delightfully thrashy riffs and even some tastefully used chugging; two things many metalcore duos use, but they use them badly.



But this is not all! Coram Lethe also ices their melodeath cake with a delicious touch of progression which, while not main factor of their sound, is something that will keep me coming back to the album. They litter the album with acoustic sections, a grand orchestral intro, and a soft interlude or two reminiscent of Opeth. Touches like this are what seperate the forgettable metal bands from the ones I would love to listen to over and over again.



I will leave you with this message: If you like your melodic death metal more death metal than melodic, full of tortured screeches, and with at least a trace of originality; then Coram Lethe most definitely stand up to the challenge of your tastes."