Marble Shades Of Despair (Solitude Productions)

  Revelation Of Rain is a band formed by ex-members of the Russian Doom/Death Metal band Ocean Of Sorrow, and “Marble Shades Of Despair” is the band’s first and only release at the time. The experience gained by these guys in Ocean Of Sorrow is definitely reflected at this solid debut; melodic and melancholic Doom/Death Metal is what this band delivers here, putting great emphasis in the delicate and sorrowful atmospheres created by the accurate conjunction of slow metallic riffs and soft, ethereal keyboard arranges, this band mainly bases its music in elegant instrumental passages, complemented by some obscure Death Metal elements such intense mid paced structures and grunted vocalizations. Some inevitable references of My Dying Bride and some “modern” Doom Metal influences of bands such Mourning Beloveth and Novembers Doom can also be heard along this album. Even when “Marble Shades Of Despair” isn’t precisely a 100% original work, this album seems to have been carefully and intelligently composed in order to create an incredibly emotional (without falling into the cheap Gothic sound) yet strong and intense piece of Metal worthy to be checked out. The whole album’s sound is completely flawless; solid and clear as the delicate and ornate music requires, all lyrics are written in Russian so I don’t have a clue about what these words are about… anyway, you don’t have to be a Russian spoken person to feel the melancholy and obscurity of that surrounds this album. “Marble Shades Of Despair” is definitely a solid album and a strong debut, completely recommendable for anyone who enjoys the sound of bands such My Dying Bride, Mourning Beloveth, Novembers Doom or Swallow the Sun and definitely for everyone into the most melancholic and ornate side of Doom/Death Metal. (AP)