Existencial Delirium Records are a very young label from Russia from the Krasnodar-region at the Black Sea and Azov Sea, very close to the Crimea peninsula, and known for the Olympic Winter Games 2014 (in the city of Sochi, at the South of this krai). The label houses several Black and Doom projects, and with several of them label manager Gweld Anobaith is involved. One of these entities is called Advent, in which multi-instrumentalist Gweld works together with a vocalist called Lifestealer. Advent recorded a full length and an EP before (the latter was released at the end of spring this year), and now the duo returns with the seven-tracker Touched, which lasts for about forty minutes.
After the untitled cosmic-ambient introduction, Advent brings a self-characterising form of atmospheric Doom-Death Metal with an own approach, unlike what we’re used to. Despite basically traditional influences, the project comes with ideas that are distinctive from the average. The main riffs and the rhythmic section pronounce a passionate preference for classical structures, yet with another angle of obscurity and elegance. It’s melodious for sure, but it trespasses a superficial execution. Some specific leads and the addition of unique synth lines are what define this band’s approach. The perfectly performed solos, fine-tuned riffing, and the strong grunts (very traditional, but in this case more welcome than any form of experimental or exaggerated brutal singing), yet also the simplistic yet persuasively executed melodies and structures make this album fine material in case you like to doom around. Almost every single hymn (with exception of the intro, all of them last for six to seven minutes) has something to admire, if only it were the pure essence of timelessness combines with persuasion and craftsmanship. I mentioned the leads before, and they are a surplus on this album. They bring both melody and emotion (not of the fake neo-romantic kind) and do carry the structure (together, of course, with the integer, almost minimal rhythm section). Also the keyboards I mentioned cannot be ignored, for when they appear, they create an own atmosphere that defines each specific composition.
I think the sound is more than acceptable. No, it’s not over-produced at all, but the catching roughness supports the spherical songs in a modest yet, at the same time, persuasive way.
The only thing I do not like are the clean vocals. Luckily they do not show up in every song, but they are little false (not too much) and I do not like the specific timbre. Of course that isn’t but my personal opinion. At the other hand I am impressed by the satisfying pronunciation of the English tongue (a Russian act with English lyrics is rather rare nowadays).