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A sorrow-filled trip of lost memories captured through Black Metal.-
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| Lost Inside: Mourning Wept Beside Me |
Depressive Black Metal
Dusktone Records
May, 2011
- Bewildered - 6:28
- A Ghost Among People - 7:47
- Four Walls and a Restless Shadow - 10:44
- Like a Wilted Flower - 8:00
- Feed on Tears - 8:36
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| Review Information |
Release length: 41:35
Review posted on July 9th, 2011
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| | Overall Score: 8.5/10 |
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| Discography |
Discography covers all information available up to day of review and is updated if future albums are reviewed. |
| Full-Length(s): |
Cold Days (2010) • Alone in the Wind (2010) • Mourning Wept Beside Me (2011)
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| Demo(s): |
Endless Denial (2009) • Never Again (2009) • Sullen Reflections (2010)
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| Compilation(s): |
No Place in Life (2010)
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| Review |
Lost Inside is one of those underground Black Metal acts you've probably never heard of before, but has actually done a good deal up to this point. It's unclear when the band formed, but Lost Inside is a two piece that comes from San Diego, California. The first demo recording dates back to 2009, and since then there have been two additional demos, a compilation, and two full-length recordings. Mourning Wept Beside Me marks the third full-length studio effort from this U.S. Depressive Black Metal group, which is being issued through Dusktone Records. But, with so many good bands performing this style of Black Metal, will this album just get lost in the mix?
Mourning Wept Beside Me does cater to that somewhat raw sound quality. The music is not necessarily very muffled, but it feels a little distant, as if listening to the album from a decent distance. Of course, not all the instruments come through so well, but in the end it gives the material more of a reflective feeling, which works well with the depressing and sorrow filled atmosphere that the music gives off with the haunting guitars, slow yet well-paced drums, and bass that stands tall in the mix and helps with the background elements of the tracks to give each song a cold, depressing feeling that reaches heights many bands in the style only wish they could hit. The vocals, like the music itself, has this raw trait to it, but sounds much closer (louder) in the mix compared to the music that sounds distant. But, due to the amount of echo effects used, and what sounds like a lack of enunciation, the lyrics simply cannot be heard, and those said vocals come off more as just wails or haunting barks. This isn't a bad thing, as it does aid to the atmosphere, but without the lyrics it ends up being a bit hard to follow, especially if those said lyrics are meant to actually add to the overall mourning factor of the release.
This full-length is cut up into five different tracks total, but holds a length of a little over forty minutes, leaving the songs to obviously come out longer then normal, such as "Four Walls and a Restless Shadow" which clocks in at just under eleven minutes in length. This is a double edged sword on this effort. While the atmosphere is strong on this effort, sometimes the music itself simply is not. "Bewildered" starts off the album, and like the rest of it has a slower pace, but it's mixed with overly simple music. The atmosphere feels cold, somber, and reflective, all the while feeling a bit soothing or relaxing, but the music itself comes off a little boring since the simpler music really isn't anything too spectacular. But, from this track, Mourning Wept Beside Me seems to pick uo, and eventually even start to shift it's atmospheres around.
"A Ghost Among People" takes that simpler approach but manages to pull off a song that feels haunting from start to finish, and has a little more substance to it. From start to finish you'll be wrapped up in the cold blanket of despair that is the track and it's atmosphere, and that soothing, calm feeling that could be felt in "Bewildered" is not as present on this track, leaving you with nothing but grief once the song starts up. This track also includes some random faster sections, which are a nice touch to build up the song and break up any monotony at may come from the slower pace and simpler music. However, this change is nothing too dynamic, and is mostly noticed through the sudden performance of double bass kicks instead of the slower pace with only one kick being used here and there since the main focus on the drums lies with the cymbols with the snares coming in second. "Four Walls and a Restless Shadow" does feel a lot heavier, and even more ominous, but as the track continues, it quickly goes back to that same atmosphere and pace that "A Ghost Among People" had. The song lasts nearly eleven minutes, but it's a well done song with an enchanting sound and atmosphere, that has a strong potential to grab the listener and make the track sound a lot shorter then it really is.
While "Like a Wilted Flower" is good and seems to take after "A Ghost Among People", the last track to really stand out on this effort is "Feed on Tears", which also is easily the strongest track on this release. The song has a much cleaner sound to the guitars, echoing and holding that general depressing Black Metal vibe, though having the clarity one would expect from a major label release from the mid eighties. The guitars again aren't too impressive at first, and the three chords played can start to wear on your nerves the longer you hear it, but like with "A Ghost Among People", the track does pick up speed and incorporate some more traditional Black Metal drumming with double bass kicks and a richer guitar performance. The vocals even have a little more energy to them. Much of the depressive feeling is lost, but the somber mourning sensations still remain, and often it will feel a little more like a song that holds the memories of something great, but at the same time has that little extra kick to exemplify the victorious sensation behind it with bridges strewn about that, at times, can give off a very melancholic feel. "Feed of Tears" is a bit of a departure from the rest of the album, but it still makes for a great song, and strong closing to the album.
After sitting down with Mourning Wept Beside Me, it's actually very hard to think that this band is not as well known as other acts in the Depressive Black Metal field. While perhaps not as emotionally driven as Lifelover, it does compare to many other bands of the style that come close to that pivotol act, and really deserves more attention then what the band has received so far. Mourning Wept Beside Me is a very strong effort that plays at all the right emotional sensations through slower, simpler Black Metal music that gets the point across with ease. While "Bewildered" may not set the perfect introduction to the album, the four songs that follow make for a sorrowful journey through suicidal though-invoking from time to time music. If you're a fan of this style, then Lost Inside is a band you should take note of, and check out Mourning Wept Beside Me as soon as you get the chance.
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