I thought it was time for some gloomy gothic metal or something like that, as I was loading the CD tray with Polish band Dormant Ordeal's debut album 'It Rains, It Pours'. Travis Smith-esque cover art, the album's and songs' titles and the band shot made me think, that this has to be some kind of gloomy post-metal. It's autumn and such music would have felt fully appropriate. I mean, there must be something else than death metal bands coming from Poland, right?

Well, not this time around, because Dormant Ordeal offer some of that. They sound very much like many of their countrymen, and these days that is not a surprise at all, but more like a standard. Dormant Ordeal operate in fields of modern-sounding style, that can be outlined to such acts as Behemoth, Calm Hatchery, Lost Soul and Trauma. There are hints of French bands Bloody Sign Gojira and US death metal masters Morbid Angel, too. These fellas rely on rhythmically mutable and riff-driven style. They do not rely much on melodiousness. The erratic songwriting has its pros and cons. At its best it is cogent, but unfortunately it also can be quite unmemorable at times. On the other hand, more spinning does help a bit, as the songs get more familiar. This is definitely a grower of an album. This isn't excessive in brutality or ugliness, but still manages to be a ferocious at its most monstrous. And rather perplexing it is, too.

The instrumental performances are technical and capable and nailed down with precision. The riffing shifts from hammering to rapid, from stretched to gory Cannibal Corpse style, and from whirlwinds to open-stringed. The bass guitar rumbles like hell, giving good backing to trebly-ish guitar tone (it often sounds rather rusty and dirty, too). The guitar solos are challenging and chirp the songs up. The drumming varies from blasting, which is the main treat, to mid-tempo thrumming. There are loads of tricks in drumming, which also manage to stimulate auditory sense. It can get really groovy here and there; a good example of this is 'Days that Didn't Make It' (one of the more coherent songs, this). When the music grabs listener, it gets a firm grip. The vocals are deep and higher growling styles, regularly the two put one upon another. This is a self-production, but the sound-wise this is good and meaty, and the energy is perceivable.

When reading the song titles, the first picture I got about the lyrics was a story of mankind's origins. Living on the Jupiter's moon Io, they moved to Earth. Repeating their mistakes, they also needed to leave the Earth. Plus, there are some alien sound effects that boost that impression. Maybe that's how it is, but main themes are man's faults and inability to treat one's kindred well and with respect. It would have been nice, if the lyrics were printed, though.

If this kind of riff-based and modern-sounding death metal appeals to you, Dormant Ordeal offer some nice moments. It takes some spins to unfold properly, but does not leave its listeners without reward. I wouldn't mind if Dormant Ordeal would explore the musical surroundings a bit expansively, and try to discover a bit more of their own touch. Still, this is very much worthy to be fathomed by those who are hunting for modern Polish death metal with some technical flair. 'It Rains, It Pours' is limited to 500 copies, so act fast!

Rating: 7+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
10/20/2013 18:13