SHAPE OF DESPAIR „Illusion's Play”

Music: Funeral Doom Metal
Country: Finland
Website: www.shapeofdespair.com
Cool Songs: Still-Motion, Fragile Emptiness, Curse Life
Duration: 61:29

“Illusion’s Play” is the third album from the world’s greatest funeral doom metal band, SHAPE OF DESPAIR. For those who do not know, SHAPE OF DESPAIR features musicians from various well-known bands throughout Finland, and is led by former AMORPHIS front man, Pasi Koskinen.

Those who have heard the band’s previous effort “Angels of Distress” may recall the lamenting female vocals throughout the album. Those wailing, despair-driven vocals combined with organs you would hear in a funeral home made that album one of the most, if not the most, depressing doom album ever! It truly earned the tag “funeral doom metal.” “Illusion’s Play” retains some of the elements of its predecessor, but has a different overall feel. Although “Illusions” still purveys a somber tone, it focuses more on enchanting or dreaming tones. This statement is realized from the beginning intro “Sleep Mirrored.” The subtle, chiming keyboards repeat in hypnotic fashion, like lying in bed with an idea stuck in your mind until you gently float into sleep. Just like being led by the hand of Morpheus, this track has rough parts provided by the bass-deep, churning doom guitars.

Slumbering choruses provided by Nathalie Koskinen and Pasi Koskinen help continue the dreamy feel first started with “Sleep Mirrored.” Much like his work with AMORPHIS, Pasi lends his clean vocals to this verse. Later on in the track, he brings out those dragging, death metal vocals he is best known for in this group. Harsher vocals conjure harsher music, seeing the guitar notes rise dramatically. More spacey keyboards invade mid-way throughout the track, and repeat for over seven minutes with mesmerizing results. “Fragile Emptiness” alternates between subtle, melodic moments and fierce, loud, metallic guitar work. These transitional extremes are akin to being smacked around, passing out, then being woken to more abuse.

“Illusion’s Play” is a very good funeral doom album. The guitars resonate with a bone-breaking crunch. The slowly annunciated death vocals sound as if they emanated from the lungs of the Angel of Death, and the synths, violins, and kantele all help create tripped out tones. Is it the funeral doom masterpiece that was “Angels of Distress”? No. It just does not accomplish the feeling of utter despair that its predecessor achieved. “Illusion’s Play” is no disappointment, though, as long as you are aware of the differences between the two albums.

note: 8/10

Tracklist

1. Sleep Mirrored
2. Still-Motion
3. Entwined in Misery
4. Curse Life
5. Fragile Emptiness
6. Illusion's Play

Line-up

Pasi Koskinen – Vocals
Natalie Koskinen – Vocals
Jarno Salomaa – Guitars, Synth
Tomi Ullgren – Guitars
Sami Uusitalo – Bass
Samu Ruotslainen – Drums

Additional Musicians:
Aslak Tolonen – Kantele
Toni Raehelme – Violin