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In their long-awaited sixth full-length album, "Funeral Cult of Personality," the masters of Italian Dark Doom, Abysmal Grief, deliver a hauntingly immersive experience. The album opens with a brief organ introduction that evokes the eerie essence of Vincent Price's narration, setting a chilling tone. As the quartet gets down to business, they envelop listeners in their signature graveside manner with slow tempos, creepy keyboard melodies, and a generous helping of fuzzy doom riffs.
Though not at their nastiest or most aggressive, Abysmal Grief have crafted 50 minutes of catchy, dramatic tunes that will have listeners stomping their goth platform boots and joining in with Labes C. Necrothytus' evocative vocals. The album rocks like a necrotized figure presiding over a Catholic Mass, drawing influences from Paul Chain, Death SS, and the dark kitsch of Type O Negative.
"Funeral Cult of Personality" spans over 50 minutes with just six songs and two interludes, striking a perfect balance without overstaying its welcome. The main tracks hover in a doom-meets-Hammer Horror realm, with "Reign of Silence" unexpectedly showcasing the noisiest riffing, driven by chunky shapes and haunting bells. The sinister "This Graveyard Is Mine" and "Idolatry of the Bones" feature muttered imprecations and crepuscular growls, while "The Grim Arbiter" rounds off the album with 13 minutes of atmospheric brilliance, incorporating a bit of everything to end the album in style.
Listening to Abysmal Grief's "Funeral Cult of Personality" is akin to watching a classic Italian horror movie – a thoroughly enjoyable experience for those who appreciate the macabre.
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