Officium Triste‘s last record left a pretty hefty impression over at the Review Desk. In an abundance of weeping guitars, tear-drenched melodies, and relentless growls, the band delivered a mountainous relic of oldish doom. After all, the piece talked about The Death of Gaia, no less. Albeit that the record’s overbearing intensity and inherent repetitive nature finally got the better of us after a while.
So, here we’re entering the poisoned garden. Hortus Venenum the band called their newest creation. A new excursion into an ominous world of invisible dangers, potions, and deception? We would have liked a secret garden better, but times are tough, one cannot be too choosy. So, have a care. This here cursed grove is alive and might want to keep you there.
It looks like Officium Triste have seen the light for the sake of their 30th anniversary. Hortus Venenum‘s airtime shrunk to a reasonable 41 minutes, way slimmer than the overly bloated size of its predecessor. And I daresay, this has been a good thing. Right from the start, the RMR crew perceived a new sense of purpose. A much better focus on their little yard full of bitter herbs and strange mushrooms, fueled by Melodic Death and Doom Death Metal. A record that seems to take a strange and renewed liking to Insomnium‘s majestic musings mixed with some late Rise to the Sky.
But – did a bit too much melodeath weave its way into this here new album? Perhaps. Then again, the RMR crew welcomed this more grounded stance of doom, away from the ever-present and straight-in-your-face low-speed strings and screeching guitars. Besides, melancholy is an integral part of the aforementioned Insomnium’s bread and butter. So, there you have it.
In other words, Officium Triste didn’t quite set their sights on innovation but went down well-trodden pathways. And who can blame them? By definition, Hortus Venenum should must be an amalgamation of the band’s life work. And they pulled out the stops, this time. If one can call it that, given that their brand of metal mostly creeps forth at a funeral snail pace with no high-velocity alloy far and wide. Perhaps, except for the frosty yet lustily paced Forcefield and its somewhat electric bite. The balance between the strings, guitars, and the ever-present vocals went up a few notches, though. And make no mistake, solemn yet stately leads, solos, and riffs moving in harmony with hauntingly sad string sections still exist. And abundantly so. But this time they won’t gripe with the growls, snarls, haughty clears, and forlorn monologues that meet your eardrums at every turn of the record.
And it is this new-found quality that will create that feeling of portentous dread and tear-drenched hopelessness after a few listens. A sentiment that you might not make it alive out of the Hortus Venenum. Meaning, Officium Triste worked the emotional aspect much better than its predecessor. And this – strangely – gives the record a much more polished look and feel than the Gaia piece.
Ultimately, Hortus Venenum scores with genuinely poised and grandiose cathedral soundscapes. Aural paintings of the poison garden dwelling in some obscure and hidden corner of those vast lands. You’ll find a record of moments. Anna’s Woe – for instance – imprints itself on your frontal lobe with its wretched musings and will reverberate about your skull for a while after it petered out. Whereas, the overly lengthy Angels With Broken Wings takes you on a dream-like journey down the innermost secrets this dangerous patch of ground has on offer. And whilst there is a certain wash/rinse/repeat effect detectable on Hortus Venenum, it works well with the overall toned-down offering.
The piece will show most of its impact when consumed as a whole. So, settle down in front of the fire, grab a drink, and let Officium Triste treat you to a session of sorrow and woe. Just make sure that nothing toxic makes it into the potion you’re about to consume, you might not wake up, else.
Record Rating: 7/10 | Label: Transcending Obscurity | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 6 September 2024