Review Summary: It’s amusing to see how with enough time, even the most unusual styles and band setups aren’t exempt from the “business as usual” mentality.
In a way similar to Symphony X, Summoning has reached a point of contentment when it comes to crafting and releasing new material. The duo’s dungeon synth by way of black metal sound only experiences minor fluctuations with every album. Depending on who you ask, the numerous years between releases since 2001’s Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame is either a sign of crippling perfectionism or lazy procrastination.
With this in mind, it isn’t too surprising to see With Doom We Come be compared to 2013’s Old Mourning Dawn despite a five year gap between them. This album retains the same polished by lofi standards production job as its predecessor along with the more melodic elements characterized by 2006’s Oath Bound. It may also be one of Summoning’s more somber outings to date, with “Mirklands” and the closing title track showing off particularly melancholic keyboard melodies and mournful vocals.
But at this album’s core are the drawn out song lengths, building structures, programmed percussion and symphonic fanfare, and subtle black metal guitar and vocals that have been going strong for over twenty years. “Silvertine” in particular may be the album’s best song due to triumphant melodies and choral effects that vaguely recall Viking-era Bathory. “Night Fell Behind” also sticks out though its more prominent vocals are already proving divisive.
Overall, With Doom We Come manages to portray Summoning’s tried and true tropes in a way that is thankfully more reliable than stagnant. While very little has changed between this and its two predecessors, this may actually be stronger than them due to more solid songwriting and more emotional presentation. It’s amusing to see how with enough time, even the most unusual styles and band setups aren’t exempt from the “business as usual” mentality.
Highlights:
“Silvertine”
“Night Fell Behind”
“Mirklands”
“With Doom We Come”
Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com
