Review Summary: An ode to melancholy.
It is common knowledge that the second half of the '90s was atmospheric metal's golden years; a sound that was defined by The Peaceville Three and other acts like Katatonia, Tiamat, and Opeth, among others. As such, Fragment Soul's debut is a treat for all atmospheric metal aficionados who long for those long-forgotten days when we were bracing ourselves for the 2K obliteration of the world. From the very first notes of
Axiom of Choice, a veil of mist closes and the listener enters a dreamlike state. Actually, if
Judgement-era Anathema is your cup of tea, then you're in for one hell of a ride and a trip down memory lane. Of course, the Greek outfit has an array of influences that can be traced back to acts like King Crimson and Pink Floyd or even modern ones like Steven Wilson, which is probably one of the reasons that they identify themselves as a progressive metal band. Nevertheless, although the album is 42 minutes longs and consists of four tracks, this definitely leans more towards gothic/doom metal.
Essentially,
Axiom of Choice is a concept album dealing with the way mental health issues were treated during the Middle Ages, so it's not an easy listen. However, this is an ode to melancholy graced by beautiful male vocals that bring to mind Vincent Cavanagh and very fitting female vocals courtesy of Draconian's Heike Langhans. On the downside, even though the songwriting is engaging, the album seems to lacks a crescendo which would lead to catharsis and maybe some more string instruments (viola, violin, etc.), as they seem to fit what Fragment Soul are trying to achieve through their music. Nevertheless, don't let a couple of minor missteps prevent you from enjoying one of 2021's most emotional listens, especially if
Judgement is one of your favorite albums.
