Date Released: November 04th 2022. Record Label: Sixteentimes Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Curatio Tracklisting
1.Burdens Of Sorrows 10:24
2.Countess Of Ice
3.Resilience Of Floating Forms
4.Wildfire
Review
Curatio is the new album from Swiss Progressive Doom/Sludge maestros Echolot that is a deeper style of Doom Metal compared to their previous albums. The album has a gloomy psychedelic presence around the album and is influenced by the “depths of the seven seas” and you can feel the aquatic themes heard throughout the album. Taking cues from bands such as AHAB, Pallbearer, Inter Arma and YOB but also a deep rooted style of Post-Metal being added for extra heaviness.
Opening song Burdens Of Sorrows opts for a Post-Doom sound for the first part of the song before Echolot slowly adds layers of vivid Psych/Ambient Metal for a calming mid-paced sound. That all changes when the clean vocals turn into HARSH SCREAMS and NOISES with the music slowly evolving into a heavier style of Sludge Metal. There’s still a calm Prog Rock/Metal atmosphere in the background which allows Echolot to play sublime extended grooves which move between thunderous sounds and a more blissful Post-Stoner style of music. The song is wonderfully poetic and even hopeful when the quieter Prog Rock elements appear.
Second song Countess Of Ice is another epic cinematic song where Echolot brings a more “ice-cold” atmosphere to the song with a lush distorted bleak sound being played in the background. The song has an “OPETH” style storytelling vibe to it with intense Ambient/Sonic sounds allowing the song to be quite theatrical but still retaining an essential feel to it all. The song does take time to bring the heavy grooves into play but Echolot excels at playing a vivid style of Progressive Doom with massive Psychedelic overflows. My favourite track on the album especially when the fantastic dual harsh/clean vocals work together for a more interesting take on the album.
The final two songs Resilience Of Floating Forms and Wildfire offer seventeen minutes of more wonderfully creative sounds that venture between the finer points of Psych Metal and Prog Metal with the Doom/Sludge Metal vibes allowing Echolot to play some of the heaviest parts of the album. This part of the album especially on Resilience Of Floating Forms can be quite Folk Rock in places and works superbly well with the aquatic themes Echolot employs for this record.
Wildfire ends the album on a triumphant high with Echolot even going into areas of almost Death Metal fast-paced sounds and vocals that was an an expected delight. So expect this album to take many creative left turns for a more engaging and adventurous experience.
Curatio is a deeply rich and brilliantly progressive album with first class production values to match. This might be Echolot’s finest release to date. Be prepared to be taken on a wonderful and action-packed Doom/Sludge Metal adventure into the deep seas.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Davide at The Metallist PR for the promo. Curatio is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Sixteentimes Music from November 4th 2022.
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