AMBER TEARS „Revelations of Renounced”

Music: Pagan Doom Metal
Country: Russia
Web site: www.realmusic.ru/amber_tears
Cool Songs: Leaving Tears, Under the Fields of Ages, Call of Dreams

Russian group AMBER TEARS prefers to be described as “pagan doom metal.” The group proves this claim to be true right from the opening intro, which features a menagerie of natural sounds such as bird calls and the sound of angry winds. What sounds like a synthetic bag pipe cuts into the call of the wild. The outro sounds the same, but with no bird songs, which possibly shows the changing of seasons. The incorporation of electrical folk instrumentation also upholds the group’s pagan themes, but adds a modern touch.

First and foremost, AMBER TEARS is a modern doom band that utilizes beautiful harmonies and echoing power chords. Those educated in this style may draw comparisons to AMORPHIS, MOONSORROW, MOONSPELL, LAKE OF TEARS, and ANATHEMA. The folk rhythms especially pertain to the first four bands mentioned, while the torpid pace and guitar harmonies seem largely drawn from U.K. doom pioneers ANATHEMA.

The lead work is also noteworthy. The guitarists play ringing leads over down tuned doom rhythms. We normally think of guitar leads as somewhat fast and flowing, but this group is unconventionally slow and with odd patterns. Notes seem to hang for an eternity, creating moods that can be both strange and sorrowful. “Leaving Tears” begins with a slow finger-tapped lead that is repeated a couple more times throughout the track. MY DYING BRIDE comes to mind in this regard. Similar fret work persists throughout the album, but takes on a Russian folk identity such as in “Under the Field of Ages.”

Vocalist, Anton Bandurin’s words and ideas will be lost upon English-speaking listeners. Each song is sung entirely in Russian. The group’s bio sheet and their profile on metal-archives explain their lyrics pertain to nature and the human experience. The folk rhythms and nature samples relate the pagan themes and the depressive nature of the music helps connect their ideas to the human experience even without an understandable lyrics sheet, although the group’s exact thoughts are lost. Bandurin employs a variety of vocal styles, switching between gothic, Moonspell-like clean vocals to deep, intelligible death growls. Russian-sung lyrics also help support the group’s paganistic style.

“Revelations of Renounced” is rich is atmosphere, melody, and foot-kickin’ folk rhythms. Fans of melodic death/doom may find this album much more difficult to find than herald groups from England, Finland, and the States. It is worth picking up, though, even if you have to pay a high import cost.

note: 7.5/10

Tracklist

1. Intro
2. Through Autumnal Rain
3. Leaving Tears
4. Under the Fields of Ages
5. Call of the Dreams
6. On the Way of Shadows
7. Snow
8. Renounced Solitude
Total playing time 43:20

Line-up

Anton Bandurin – Vocals
Dmitry Tschukin – Guitar
Alexey Ryliakin – Guitar
Dmitry Slipchenko – Bass
Victor Kulikov – Drums