Imindain – The Enemy of Fetters and the Dweller in the Woods (Weird Truth Productions. 2017).

Imindain – The Enemy of Fetters and the Dweller in the Woods (Weird Truth Productions. 2017).

This masterful MLP by the criminally underrated Imindain is nothing short of a spectacular slab of desolate Death Doom Metal. The introductory track, To Meditate Upon the Face of Forgotten Death, is a beautifully haunting song, with a simple melody played on piano that is possessed by an ethereal presence and leads perfectly into the crushing song, The Final Godhead. This song highlights the sheer mastery over their art that the Hellions behind Imindain have, as it is a transcendent wonder. It starts off with crushing, Apocalyptic Death Doom riffs which are permeated with Tartarean darkness. Around the 3:40 mark, one can sense the sublime as a more melodic passage of sorts begins, with clean vocals and a beautiful melody that evokes perfectly the trials and tribulations that are involved in seeking spiritual escape from the prison of flesh. The return of the suffocating darkness of before adds to this sense of desolation, of longing for transcendence from a world of suffering and agony. There is a tasteful use of keyboards around the 10:00 mark, supporting the guitars and not being overpowering, before gradually increasing in volume and leading to a haunting ending for this mighty beast of a song. The production on this MLP is done perfectly, with all instruments being balanced exactly as needed to help accentuate the atmosphere, as perfectly seen with the keyboards mentioned earlier. This MLP is simply a masterpiece, with a tangible sense of despair inhabiting every song. There is a very real sense of repulsion for existence in the song A Paean to the Vermin, which will entrance and consume you, especially the solo around the 07:00 mark that is supported by subtle keyboards that transform a beautiful moment into something truly haunting. The keyboards help lead perfectly into a killer cover of Disembowelment Cerulian Transience of All My Imagined Shores, which fits perfectly with the original material by Imindain. If you are one for Death Doom, make sure to purchase this MLP. It is a masterpiece that will entrance you. It is an overlooked gem that summons forth an intoxicating atmosphere of despair, desolation, and doom, which is what Doom Metal is meant to do. It is transcendent and sublime. It is pure Doom. 8.75/10.