CoC : To Mourn the Living - A Forest of Pale, Thin and Haunting Trees : Review

To Mourn the Living - _A Forest of Pale, Thin and Haunting Trees_
by: Quentin Kalis (2 out of 5)

The dopamine depleted duo step into the arena of depressive black metal, interspersed with brief flirtations with attempts at spine-chilling ambiance. "Attempts" is the key word here, as they are weak, rather rudimentary attempts at creating an ominous aura but are little more than unnecessary diversions between the meaty tracks. The "true" songs are more developed, tending towards the simplistic using a faster tempo or morose acoustic passages to add some variety, but their overriding challenge is the most elusive, namely the creation of songs with a hard-hitting emotional impact. Without this emotional kick in the nuts, the songs are just another exercise in suicidal black metal. If they create songs with that necessary near-indefinable ability to generate an emotive response in the listener, then everything else will fall into place.

Contact: http://www.myspace.com/tomourntheliving

(article published 8/10/2009)