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IN VESPRO - WHERE SILENCE USED TO SLEEP
Out now via Meuse Music Records - The current death doom revival has produced no shortage of bands determined to recreate the tearing weight of the genre’s early years. Most succeed in capturing the sound - far fewer capture the feeling. On their debut full length, Where Silence Used to Sleep, Italy’s In Vespro nail both.
Built upon foundations laid by early Katatonia, Paradise Lost, Anathema, & to some extent Rapture, the Roman quartet deliver an album that cements deeply in the genre’s golden era without arriving in nostalgia land. This record embraces melancholy as its full language, unfolding through nine songs that touch down on loss, absence, & decay with pure focus.
From the beginning of “Fading Hollow,” In Vespro creates an atmosphere that remains consistent throughout the whole album. Mournful guitar melodies drift across rhythms, while vocalist Luca Gagnoni unleashes a growl that sounds defeated (in the best ways possible). It’s an approach that suits the material perfectly. Zero clean vocals, no detours, and definitely no attempt to soften emotional impact
Songs “Ghost Inside Tomorrow,” “Absence Becomes Her,” & the title track showcase some of the band’s greatest strengths - making melodies as valuable as crushing weight. Guitar work from Gagnoni & Emanuela Marino carries a lot of the album’s emotional burden, weaving harmonies & sorrowful leads into each & every composition. Fair to say, even the occasional solo feels at home, adding texture without disrupting the mood.
What separates Where Silence Used to Sleep from many modern death doom releases you may ask? Wholeheartedly - it’s discipline. At just over forty mins, this album never drags or lags. Every song serves purpose, never overstaying their welcome. “Ashes of the Dawn,” “Beneath the Unseen,” & “The Last Light” continue the momentum, reinforcing its themes of grief & resignation.
The album’s biggest limitation is also its greatest strength. In Vespro wear influences openly, almost to the point where passages feel inseparable from the genre’s classic architects. Yet, the quality of the songwriting outweighs any concerns about originality!
Warm production, solid performances, & an understanding of what makes death doom resonate beyond heaviness, Where Silence Used to Sleep stands as one of this year’s most overlooked debuts.
In a scene over crowded with disposable releases, In Vespro delivers something far more valuable - an album set to linger long after the final note fades into silence. Get amongst it.
SCORE 9/10
Words by LearnTwoExist
In collaboration with Headbangers Australia
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