Abysmal Grief - Feretri (2013)

   If I was ever asked to name the ultimate doom metal album, that represents the style at its best, without thinking I would say it must be "Feretri" by Abysmal Grief. Even though for similar questions those bands used to be the best answers, who are one of the earliest of their styles and therefore the core basics are easy to distinguish. And Abysmal Grief's music is kinda mixed compared to '80s doom metal bands.

   However, even if decades have been passed and therefore slight changes might be needed for younger audiences to experience the same or similar heavy and down pulling effect nowadays like '80s audiences did in their times, the extra added influences didn't drift Abysmal Grief's music too far from classic or epic doom metal. That happened because the two extra music features they involved are quite relatable to the genre. First: the post punk-like gothic influence came by the singing vocal style and the atmosphere. Fits perfectly to both doom metal and to the occult, funeral-based main concept. It could also make the band a potential favorite for gothic audiences if they would bother to focus on music even half as much as they're focusing on their personal fashion show endeavours. Second: the stoner rock based noisy sound, that made "Feretri" probably the best sounding Abysmal Grief album. Stoner rock by its constant old school references is quite a doom related direction. Previously and after they preferred more ordinary doom metal sound, but they've never reached so heavy impression like on "Feretri". The involvement of keyboards and strings (most possibly cello) making great contrast with the distorted sound, and also creating some classic, elegant atmosphere, that's also melancholic the same time (dark aesthetics). Even if the band couldn't offer anything new and extraordinary that haven't been made in the genre before, compared to Abysmal Grief, no other bands have been able to highlight the essential features of the genre on such heavy level as they did. And did that without becoming a stoner/doom or death/doom band. Frequent switches to growling vocal style was also an absolute win, cause many things have happened since the '80s that couldn't allow clear or gothic styled singing as heavy or impressive as before, plus it just fits better to noisy sound. In total: by creating an alternative for a modern update that sounds "good as old", Abysmal Grief managed to make the impression that they play doom metal as it always supposed sound like, and "Feretri" is the heaviest aspect of their music. It's an all-round excellent record!