Title: Into the Depths of Sorrow Artist: Solitude Aeturnus Label: King Klassic Records Release Date: 1990 Rating: 3 Skulls
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Reviewed by Solomon:
Solitude Aeturnus are some of the unsung heroes of doom metal. You don't hear a lot about this band, but they have made a name for themselves in the underground scene by carrying the torch first lit by groups like Trouble and Candlemass and continuing it forward in the 90's. Into The Depths of Sorrow marked the full-length debut of this doom quintet after a demo, ironically entitled And Justice For All... was released in 1988. Some of the demo material, which featured the lyrical craft of original vocalist Kristoff Gabehart, ended up on Sorrow, as well. Current singer Robert Lowe is, in my opinion, the real centerpiece of the band and has a voice that is one of the most distinguished in the history of metal.

The music on Sorrow does not pattern itself after the current trend in doom/goth, that of slow, plodding dirges coupled with gritty death vocals. Rather, Solitude Aeturnus produces slow, plodding dirges with real singing. Lowe leaves the grunts behind and also avoids any high-pitched screeching. His voice is more of a pleasant, warm, mid-ranged variety that is powerful and moving. No where is this more evident than on the album's high point, the evocative "ballad," "Mirror of Sorrow." Some fans may not point to this record as the band's definitive moment, and I've heard other Solitude songs that I like better that are not on this release, but there is good stuff to be found here. The music is certainly heavy and dark, but there are times when the band picks up the pace ("White Ship"), and Edgar Rivera's guitar solos have enough spunk to help brighten up the overall weight of the material. "Prologue to the End" is a driving number with a sinister guitar riff in the verses, and "Where Angels Dare To Tread" features a cool, Eastern-tinged chorus. The lyrics on Sorrow are a great compliment to the ominous nature of the music. They tend to have a spiritual, reflective slant, even a Biblical one, as "Angels" makes a direct reference to Lot and Sodom, but they don't come off as excessively preachy. I don't always pay attention to the words on records, but I like lyrics that reveal something deeper than pseudo-rebellion or blatant offensiveness. Sorrow addresses the very metal topic of apocalypse ("The Earth will soon be shaken/As the day becomes the night"), but also more personal questions of existence ("I ever stride/Among the shores of tranquil nights/Between the set and dawn of light").

Don't freak out: if the "religious" tag scares you, don't worry, this stuff won't appear on "The 700 Club" anytime soon. Solitude's subsequent efforts are definitely worth checking out, but Sorrow stands as a solid debut from a band whose fifteen minutes is long overdue.

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