Et Moriemur – Epigrammata

Et Moriemur  break the mould with this stunning collection of tracks that together form the album ‘Epigrammata’

For those of us not previously overly familiar with the Czech Republic Doom scene, this is as good a way as any to get your feet wet. Drawing from the rich and plentiful well of European culture and history, the band manage to weave a quite breath taking and vivid tapestry of all that is dark and melancholic. Not content with a single genre to throw at the listener, the album steadily evolves and manifests into a myriad of absorbing and engaging slants, from spoken word, to Doom, through Death and Black, the transitions are nigh seamless. Wonderful and haunting Gregorian chants abound, as we are taken on a journey of passage, a musical odyssey if you will, each song as engaging as the last.

I could wax lyrical as to how ‘Communio’ is such a sludge driven cellar dweller that you can almost feel the Rats scurrying around your ankles, or how ‘Libera Me’ takes you to such deep despair that Death is a blessing but you really need to find out for yourself. Not all Doom albums hit the spot it must be said but with ‘Epigrammata’ your senses can not avoid being well and truly tingled. Incredibly well crafted and constructed works of art, all wrapped up in a web of dark passion that is as enlightening as it is depressive. The sheer oppressive majesty of album closer ‘ In Paradisum’, is just an absolute joy, a track that opens at such a funeral pace that it borders on static, and yet just builds and builds, becoming almost soothing and comforting in the way that it draws you in, bringing you full circle to the albums beginning

What you draw from this album is purely personal, it may move you, it may inspire you, it may fill a void but what it certainly will not do is disappoint

Recommended track – In Paradisum

Track Listing ;

Introitus

Requiem Aeternam

Agnus Dei

Dies Irae

Offertorium

Communio

Libera Me

Absolve Domine

Sanctus

In Paradisum

Band Line Up ;

Zdeněk Nevělík – Vocals, Piano

Aleš Vilingr – Guitar

Pavel Janouškovec – Guitar

Karel Kovářík – Bass

Michal “Datel” Rak – Drums

Guest contributions –

Vocals (on Introitus) – Kostas Panagiotou (Towards Atlantis Lights, Pantheist)

Vocals (on Agnus Dei) – Nikos Vlachakis (Shattered Hope)

Recitation (on Agnus Dei) – Labrini Karousou and Vangelis Mertzanis

Additional musicians –

Choir – Jaroslav Klvaňa, Karel Russ, Lukáš Pavlovský

Cello – Andrea Michálková

Violin – Zuzana Králová

Trombone – Jindřich Bešťák

Acoustic guitar – Honza Kapák

Epigrammata is released via Transcending Obscurity Records on March 20^th

http://Et Moriemur Facebook

http://Transcending Obscurity Records Site