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Ennui-End Of The Circle album review

By Andy Thunders
End of The Circle by Ennui is a sonic masterpiece. Like the aura of fog over a graveyard in the moonlight, it’s an abysmal, dark, beautifully melancholic album.
End of The Circle, the title of the track, clocking in at 33 minutes, starts off with slow ominous cold notes, and brings the funeral procession to a start. You can feel the isolation permeating out of the guitars. Then it gets soft, eerie, and calm. Like the hand of death. Then the damned, forlorn growls just make it more haunting. This is an absolutely beautiful, agonizing piece of work. If heavy metal is a wine, this album would be a merlot 1592. This is just a piece of art. Melancholic, suicidal, cold heavy art. Goes for a bit of black metal around ten minutes in, changing it up, but keeping the melody, aura, and agony intact. Then slows back down nicely. There’s a progressive element here, too. It’s a journey to a dark place, yet enchanting.
The Withering: part one fades in slowly, slightly floaty and heavy. Keeping the same kind of amazing atmosphere. The vibe is the same cold, isolation vibe on most Pink Floyd records, just heavier and darker. Reminiscent of Esoteric, and Bell Witch. There’s a bit of influence from Worship, too.
The Withering: part 2 ends the sonic journey, on an even darker note than what this album begins with. Absolute funeral doom masterpiece. The haunting synths, the crushing guitars bass and drums, like a witch hammer tolling the bell. The most ominous, slow, dark feeling one can feel. Absolutely magnificent record. For people who find regular doom metal too happy sounding.

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