The Sombre – Shapeless Misery

Band: The Sombre
Title: Shapeless Misery
Label: Brucia Records
Release date: 20 November 2020
Country: Holland
Format reviewed: High-Quality Digital Recording

The Sombre is blackened doom metal, with elements of death metal that create in this album, bleak landscapes of sorrowful emotion that move in waves as the ocean. Engrossing and spectacular melancholy represented in this offering.

Maurice de Jong is the person behind this band and to say he has created masterpieces is an understatement. To take the tracks in this and build the melodies, guitar riffs and drums, to sing the pieces and stitch it together to what it became, shows time, commitment, and passion on his part.
Only two albums have been made so far, “Into the Beckoning Wilderness” (2019) and now “Shapeless Misery”.

1- “A Terrible Silence from Above” immediately begins the doomy journey, with heavy riffs that seem to grow in depth with each listen. Soon, guitar speed picks up, but keeping the doom inspired sound as the forwarding note in this. Vocals are a spoken guttural style.

2- “My Betrayal as a Knife” swirls in atmosphere. The guitar is stellar in this as are the vocals.

3- “Shapeless Misery” is the title track, the guitar is beautifully melancholic. Then the vocals bring on some deeper guttural styling, pairing very well with the overall tone of this track. This track is melancholic and all the more powerful because of that.

4 – “Tears and Dismay”, this track begins in less of the doom inspiration, more melodies and keyboards, but again creating atmosphere that lingers. Variation of sounds in this, giving it more for the listener to find and come back to again and again.

5- “The Golden Shroud” – Keeps the interest going in this, with instrumentals. Less vocals, but certainly with skill and clever layers of sound achieved. Vocals are eerie as they begin later, spoken to guttural. The sound of the track shows more variation hinting at what else is Maurice de Jong is capable of.

6- “An Untameable Desire” – More of the doomy, slower riffed production. It’s epic in its adherence to doom.
“Shapeless Misery” is beautifully choreographed in strong doom elements, melancholic moods, and artistry displayed in voice and instruments that engage the listener further. Vocals have a haunting power that keeps their girth long after the album has been played. I give a 7/10 Metal Marie

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