PULCHRA MORTE "Divina Autem et Aniles"

PULCHRA MORTE 

"Divina Autem et Aniles"

Pulchra Morte is Latin for "Beautiful Death" and that does seem a fitting name for this bunch. The press claims that the band is trying to rekindle the death/doom sound of the 90's and I'd say they've done a pretty good job of it. This is as close as you can get to the sound of the first 4 Paradise Lost albums. Paradise Lost is the overwhelming influence here and if there were tons of bands sounding like that, then this might be less potent. But there are few and fewer yet who do it with the authority and care of Pulchra Morte.

Despite the death/doom tag, these guys are straight to the point and the songs are all very concise and right on target. Only two exceed five minutes in length. But Pulchra Morte summons up plenty of heaviness, gloom and even elegance in these razorsharp songs. "Soulstench" and "Thrown To The Wolves" so perfectly encapsulate the melancholy but morbid feel of early (and recent) Paradise Lost, you will be amazed. There's an instrumental called "IX" where riff after riff flows smoothly and sorrowful twin guitar conjures Gothic somberness. The vocals are deep and deathly...not quite to the godlike level of Nick Holmes, but not far off. 

It's an enjoyable painful trip through the musical incarnation of depression...one of the better records of its kind I've heard. The river Styx awaits....

CEREMONIAL RECORDS

PULCHRA MORTE