Review Summary: An appropriate violet doom epitaph
Having grimly announced their farewell early into this year, it suddenly makes sense why Abysmal Grief seemed to drop their seventh album right at the end of 2025 with little fanfare. With that in mind, it’s poetic that Taetra Philosophia offers more of the same style that defined them for the last thirty years. The likes of Paul Chain and Death SS remain hearty reference points for their especially esoteric blend of traditional doom, horror synth, and whatever blackened tinges need to fill in the gaps.
All this being business as usual, it’s worth noting how the band has refined that formula without altering it too drastically. The production sure isn’t as raw as it was, letting the instruments stick out more while preserving a dark otherworldly aura, and the playing reflects their experience with rock-solid rhythms and a full guitar tone. The ghoulish vocals and dancing keyboards are also delivered with ceremonial confidence, serving up a delightful sort of creepy cheese.
One could search for a trace of finality in the songs themselves, especially with the album’s forty-three minute length narrowly being their shortest, there isn’t anything too out of the ordinary for them. “Deus Cornatus” starts off with a marching beat reminiscent of Bathory though the bellowing vocals and jaunty synths are enough to remind us where we are. From there, songs like the title track, “Ambulacrum Luctus,” and “Corpus Mortuum” hit familiar grooves with lumbering chugs, warbling echoes, and interjecting keys. There’s also still room for a couple keyboard-driven instrumentals in “Lumen Ad Urnam” and the closing “Lamentum” to round things out.
While Abysmal Grief offers more of the same violet doom with Taetra Philosophia, it’s interesting to note how hindsight already makes it feel like an appropriate epitaph. There are admittedly points on tracks like “Speculum Fractum” that get a little dragged out and it can be easy for some tracks to roll together, but the band’s knack for consistency is well-preserved. Like any reliable institution, there aren’t any surprises here but listeners can get a final taste of everything they enjoy.
