Laethora - The Light in Which We All Burn
Rating
RIYL
EntombedYyrkoon
Grave
Release Date
04/27/2010
Label
The End RecordsTracklist
1. Ekpyrosis2. I As Infernal
3. A.S.K.E.
4. World Deluge
5. A New Day
6. Humanae
7. The Sightless
8. Saevio
9. Uproar
10. Cast to Ruin
11. To the Point
12. Damnable Doctrine
13. Alogia
Users Rating |
Your RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Recent Ratings |
|
|
|
If you've heard of the Swedish "supergroup" Laethora, it's likely due to the fact that founder Niklas Sundin spends the majority of his time playing with a little band by the name of Dark Tranquility. Any similarities between the two groups are scarce, and though both could be considered melodic death metal, listeners looking for a Dark Tranquility clone need look elsewhere (and in case you are, I would suggest tracking down the excellent and recently reviewed album from Aeternam). Rounded out by three members of Swedish rock group The Provenance and vocalist Jonatan Nordenstam, Laethora play an eclectic mix of old school death, melodic, thrash and doom metal that offers enough twists and turns over the course of The Light in Which We All Burn to appeal to almost any metal fan.
With a production reminiscent of the past few Immolation albums, Laethora's sound is predominantly influenced by old school death metal groups similar to Entombed, Grave and the like. And though the album prominently showcases Nordenstam's gruff vocals, which draw clear comparison to legendary Entombed frontman L.G. Petrov, the group's tendency to dabble in a variety of styles gives each individual track its own flavor and sound, resulting in an album that's remarkably listenable even after several spins. Encompassing a vast array of tempos and grooves, it's no surprise that drummer Joel Lindell frequently sets the pace, sometimes exploding with a ferocious blast beat-driven section, particularly on tracks "World Deluge" and "I As Infernal," and other times pulling back on the reins and allowing the album's dark atmosphere to settle in ("Saevio," "Cast to Ruin"). Sundin's guitar work is equally admirable as the group serves as the perfect outlet for him to exercise his slightly atypical stylings away from the well-established Dark Tranquility template. The group's effective use of dissonant flourishes and sinister atmospherics is comparable to last year's fantastic offering from Ulcerate, though the similarities between the two groups mostly end there as Laethora opt for a grittier, unpolished sound to accompany their unique brand of metal.
It's about time that Laethora step out from behind Sundin's shadow and create a name for themselves in the metal world. Listeners familiar with any of the bands cited in this review should feel right at home listening to The Light in Which We All Burn, which truly does offer something for every metalhead out there. Unfortunately, as is the case with most supergroups, Laethora will likely be relegated to Sundin's time away from Dark Tranquility and generally regarded as a second priority to his paying gig. Not that I would ever wish for the demise of such a legendary group, but should Dark Tranquility ever decide to pack up their gear and call it a day, it's comforting to know that Laethora will be there waiting in the wings.
--Matt Murphy
Comments
Minnesota
Eh, I think this album is decent but I probably won't give it many repeat spins. Could be because I'm not a huge straight up death metal fan, but this whole album really blended together into one long chunk of death metal.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
