Virgin Black, Requiem Fortissimo
Hailing from the land down under, Australia’s Virgin Black open up the rusty gates to the netherworld with their latest album, Requiem Fortissimo — a full on desolate and doom infused take on death metal. The album’s title is more than appropriate as the seven tracks it holds certainly feel like a dark requiem one would play at an open viewing of some recently passed deity.
Combining symphonic, orchestral elements, angelic choirs with deep guttural growls and soul crushing guitar work Virgin Black suffocates the listener with an oppressively heavy shroud of doom. As evil as this album sounds the band describes their take on death metal as “the juxtaposition of purity and humanity’s darkness”, exploring their own relationship with spirituality and Christianity. Personally, I’m not sure what all that entails, but what I can tell you is that Requiem Fortissimo will certainly challenge your own humanity and spirituality with it’s immense feeling of abandonment and bleakness.
The Fragile Breath
The album starts off pretty quickly with “The Fragile Breath.” Chugging riffs and driving drums open up the song for the first 30 seconds or so before the band slows everything down to the pace of a decaying corpse. Large, slow riffs and heavy handed drum work punctuated by deep, guttural growls dominate this track as higher pitched female wails and mail choir are added for good measure. The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is used sparingly and to great effect throughout this opening track and the rest of the album. The pace picks back up a bit around the five minute mark with some creative drum work and quick riffing, but the track ends shortly after.
In Winter’s Ash
The second song starts out with an orchestral arrangement before slowly developing apocalyptic guitars drown it out. There’s plenty of sorrow fueling the riffs as deep growls come into play. This one is full on funeral dirge if ever there was one. It’s slowly developing sound is immense and powerful. There are some memorable leads throughout this one, as well.
Silent
“Silent” starts off with noisy guitar work and deep growls. Double bass work from the drums quickly come in with a “fire for effect” bombing raid feel. The growls are more mid range but shift with the deeper delivery smoothly. Female vocals throughout the track add an eerie presence to the song. After settling into a head banging groove for the first half of the song, Virgin Black shifts dramatically to a bit of chaotic guitar work and crashing drums. It’s definitely a nice change up from the plodding doom that dominates the album.
God in Dust
A deep growl gets this one going with funeral dirge like guitar work as more double bass come into play. The use of piano throughout this track is used to great effect and simple adds another element to the band’s colossal sound.
Larimosa (gather me)
“Larimosa” acts more as a transition to the next track more than it does anything else. It’s short length is dominated by growls and choir vocals with light, yet dramatic string work in the background. After a minute or so of the dramatic arrangements, a nice bit of guitar riffing comes in to great effect. After just over two minutes the track is gone.
Darkness
After that bit of transition from the band, “Darkness” comes in with subtle guitar work and female vocals. The longest track on the album is slow building through the first 10 minutes of its 11:45 running time. That first nine minutes isn’t without it’s moments however as there is a great bit of riffing and drum work around the 5:50 mark that’ll have you banging your head in no time. That said, it isn’t until just after the nine minute mark that the band brings in dramatic choir vocals and lifts the track to epic proportions with plenty of power and emotion. The lead after that portion is classic doom in all it’s glory.
Forever
The final track on the album is sorrow filled outro that is lead by a piano. It’s dramatic feel gives you the feeling that this is a requiem of sorts for the album itself, closing it out with respect and class.
~ ~ ~
If you like your doom heavy on orchestral elements, full choirs and female wails, then Virgin Black’s Requiem Fortissimo has everything you could ever want in powerful, funeral dirge metal. Challenge your own spirituality with the band on this 45 minute journey into sorrow and despair.
Favorite Tracks:
N/A
Additional Notes:
N/A