Et Moriemur - Epigrammata

Two years ago, when I started to write reviews for Metal Addicts, I had a view about Metal. I wasn’t that old metalhead dude who thought the best Metal was done and no band could ever get to their point. But I couldn’t figure it out how bands have evolved in those years. In fact, I don’t if it is me or the bands, but I cant’ help it saying that I still get surprised with bands. Surprised is not the right word, amazed I guess it fits best. It’s the first doom metal band like Et Moriemur with “Epigrammata” that I hear. I didn’t expect so much variety and complexity not only instrumental but also the lyrical content.

Et Moriemur with “Epigrammata” go deeper in terms of religion. Their music is some kind of creepy and twisted mass. Et Moriemur sweat a religious critique from all pores from the band concept to instrumentals and vocals. Take “Offertorium” as a good example and its keyboard intro and the spoken vocals embellished by some background Gregorian chants. Beautiful and disturbing. Anyway, it’s exactly the idea. This contrasts of a religious chant with metal rawness. As I keep on saying, the great thing about Metal is this contrast. Following track “Communio” follows the same musical idea, but a bit stronger. Some ups and downs in tempo and pace which work fine with the mood of the song giving it a “sacred” sonance.

“Epigrammata” is an album of strong content. Vocals have a great variety of styles in it. From the sweetest to the bitterest. It’s something I respect a lot. “Sanctus” gives a pretty good shoot of it with the defying church organ and some piano passages. But the most impressive track is the last, but not the least, “In Paradisum,” I guess to honor the name. But Et Moriemur paradise does not fit really well with he usual concept of it. It’s a bit twisted and fuzzy, beautiful at times, but disturbing in other times. The Gregorian chant in it embellishes all the mood. It has lots of plot twists in the middle to end up with a bagpipe and an organ and an enchanting female voice.

Fun fact is that Metal is widely “know” as an airhead musical style, you all know what I mean. But fact is wrote their lyrics in Greek, Latin, and Czech. Most the lyrical content of most pop songs are about twelve lines and no more than twenty words – not counting the repetition – in a good broken English. And we are the airheads?

Bottomline, “Epigrammata” is a challenging effort for whom appreciate the challenge.

Et Moriemur “Epigrammata” was released on March 20th via Transcending Obscurity Records.

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