Back in 2007 Finnish harbingers of gloom and utter doom otherwise known as Swallow the Sun released their third full-length album, 'Hope.' Known for their heavy melodic doom approach that's filled with atmosphere that propels the bleak emotions pristinely to their listeners, Hope was an absolutely massive record, which in the three years since its release has, at least, in my opinion become something of a modern doom metal classic. Following it up with an equally powerful album would take some serious effort and time.Released nearly three years after Hope, 'New Moon' (no connection to the gay vampire romance, Twilight) continues the sound Swallow the Sun was previously exploring with little (if any) advancements on this recording, but that hardly means its a bad album. In fact some truly great songs grace this recording, such as; 'Lights on the Lake,' 'New Moon' and 'Servant of Sorrow,' but what I really don't feel when I listen to this album is that dark atmosphere and melancholic feeling that the band pulled off so flawlessly on the previous album. I mean, it's there in doses, but as a whole this album doesn't grab me the same way their previous album or debut did (unfortunately I haven't got my hands on their second album yet). Parts of Hope I actually felt were really catchy too and I don't get that vibe as much with these new songs, but there are some songs and moments that have gotten caught in my head and kept me coming back for more and more.
All bitching aside, this is a decent doom metal album, nothing mandatory, but if you've enjoyed previous albums from StS I see no point in passing it up since there are some great moments on this release, but just don't expect something as grand as Hope.
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