Review: Novembers Doom ‘Major Arcana’
Chicago’s Novembers Doom have been giving us albums of melodic death/doom for nigh on thirty years at this point, and as you’d hope, they’ve become somewhat of under-heralded legends in the scene. I first became aware of them on 2005’s Pale Haunt Departure, which makes me feel ancient, but they have spent the past two decades as pillars of this genre, giving us solid-to-great records.
Their twelfth full-length, Major Arcana, is out now through Prophecy Productions, and comes six years after 2019’s Nephilim Grove, which has felt like an eternity. One little immediate criticism though, why is this not coming out in NOVEMBER? Only two of their twelve records have been released in their namesake month, and considering their gloomy sound, you’d think that would make so much sense…
The gloomy piano of opener June has an almost eastern flavour to it, as a gruff vocal leads us straight to the majestic title track. Novembers Doom are masters of this type of deathly gothic doom, a regal and miserable stomp through magnificent, atmospheric heaviness. There’s not an insignificant influence from latter day Katatonia, as well as the classic Paradise Lost of the mid ‘90s. But Novembers Doom have been going long enough to take those influences and weld it onto their own particular sound, and Major Arcana is just the latest refinement of that.
The roiling thunder of Ravenous maintains that old school Novembers Doom sound, but when it is partnered with cleaner and more anthemic moments, that is when the band’s chops begin to show their hand. A surprisingly anthemic death/doom record, with rich passages of uplifting songwriting where ethereal passages and clean vocals entwine into something massive.
a regal and miserable stomp through magnificent, atmospheric heaviness…
It never quite reaches progressive territories, but there is definitely a bit of Opeth about how Novembers Doom lay out their records. It provokes comparison, especially with tracks like Bleed Static and Dusking Day, making their case to be one of the genre’s most intriguing acts. Death/doom generally balances on a fine edge of utterly miserable heaviness, and the risk of banal and trudging songs.
Major Arcana’s obvious gothic undertones, alongside subtle progressive moments and three decades of experience, ensure that the pitfalls are avoided and the real heartbeat of the band’s quality is heard. When we talk about the truly great bands in this genre, we should be putting Novembers Doom up there with Paradise Lost or My Dying Bride.
While I found much of their previous work to be excellent, morose and weighty in its execution, Major Arcanafeels like a rebirth of the band’s sound. It takes the deep reservoir of experience from such a long-running band, birthed at the genre’s peak, and gives it a sleek and modern approach. It looks like Novembers Doom have made these six years since Nephilim Grove count and have woven a rich tapestry of complex and beautifully melancholic melodic death/doom.
Label: Prophecy Productions
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Sandy Williamson
