SHAPE OF DESPAIR -

SHAPE OF DESPAIR - SHADES OF... - SPIKEFARM
Depressing, oh so depressing. Described by its label as 'funeral doom', Finland's Shape of Despair (formerly known as Raven and comprised of members of Thy Serpent and Barathrum - the former of which seems infinitely bound to Spinefarm!) manages to satisfy exactly where bands like Esoteric and Skepticism could not. For while those bands really fail to take you anywhere, the members of Shape of Despair paint a depressing panorama of a desolate waste land; then take you by the hand and let you wander there for ever and ever. This is downright depressing dirge and something for fans of Disembowelment, Winter and Paramaecium to grasp and absorb. While this all has a very trance-like feel to it, the very deep vocals, concrete instrumentation and above all the depth of sorrow on this make it a must for seekers of depression and gloom. - Ali "The Metallian"