THE SOMBRE is the work of Maurice de Jong, insanely prolific mainman of Gnaw Their Tongues, De Magia Veterum, Cloak of Altering, Hagetisse, Golden Ashes, and countless others. With THE SOMBRE, however, de Jong returns to his roots. Having spent his formative musical years in doom and doom-death metal bands (1989-1996: Atrocious, Cauteror, and Soulwound), de Jong here reimagines the sound of his youth: doom-death metal inspired by the "Peaceville Three" and other early '90s doom/death pioneers. THE SOMBRE's debut album, Into the Beckoning Wilderness, was released in June 2019 in a strictly limited edition of 50 CD-Rs, which sold out immediately, of course. Fans of both his work in THE SOMBRE and elsewhere, CHAOS RECORDS released a worldwide CD edition of Into the Beckoning Wilderness in March 2021, and now continues to foster than megaton-heavy sadness with the band's brand-new third album, Monuments of Grief. Almost too perfectly titled, Monuments of Grief is perhaps the most poignant distillation yet of THE SOMBRE's heartwrenching style of doom-death. De Jong doesn't step too far away from the miserable majesty of those preceding two records, but there's an ever-so-slight expansion of atmosphere across Monuments of Grief, as the man expertly swathes his towering creations with subtle synth and plaintive piano, all while always allowing the CRUSH of sadness to wash over the listener. But, like those two preceding tomes, Monuments of Grief once again features a deftly finessed sense of space; the subterranean roar of de Jong's voice plumbs deeper depths, but somehow with more clarity here. Most of all, de Jong's melodies are more pronounced and earworming, evincing something of an early Katatonia vibe. All told, it's another triumph of tragedy for THE SOMBRE. And, just like CHAOS' well-received release of Into the Beckoning Wilderness, whether one chooses to drown in their sorrows or be emboldened by them with a suiting soundtrack is up to each individual. THE SOMBRE will take you there either way as you contemplate these Monuments of Grief...
