Finnish doomsters Red Moon Architect are back with their third full-length, Review for Return Of The Black Butterflies 2017

Finnish doomsters Red Moon Architect are back with their third full-length, after the Concealed Silence (2012) and Fall (2015). While their sound dives deep into the death/doom roots, they still manage to create here and there kind of a sound of their own, especially with strong female vocals and captivating melodic riffs. Although the band label themselves as funeral doom, I still feel they are closer to regular death/doom, or even better said to melancholic doom.

Red Moon Architect is clearly no newcomer to the scene and they clearly know what defines a good record. The guitar work is exceptional, just like the whole instrumentation itself. The album Return Of The Black Butterflies is a strong follow up to the bands past works, I can say that it's their best so far and in a way could easily be considered as a fourth part of Swallow The Sun's album Songs From The North.  

The album pulls you under and crushes you under the weaves of the tide. Slowly carrying you out in the open sea, especially the emotional vibes of the amazing "Tormented" or "Journey" where such a catchy melody and breathtaking male/female duet can easily get under your skin. Beautifully and ferociously the album lingers on in its beautiful sorrowful way.

The album consists of six tracks of pure sweeping, yet crushing and highly atmospheric doom that will draw you down into the abyss. With the full album being "only" 48 minutes long its still quite a short one for being a doom metal album. The album name hints to a bit of inspiration from fellow Finnish doom masters Swallow The Sun and their monumental album Plague Of Butterflies.

All of the songs feel lengty yet very open in its sound, allowing them to breath more naturally. The deep growling vocals of Ville Rutanen sounds almost identical to the vocals of Mikko Kotamäki of Swallow The Sun. One might think he just went under a different name for this album. But never the less the album delivers on all basis heavy, melancholic and dark sound while slowly bringing in the melodies and cold vibe that only Finnish doom seems to have. The album is an esential must for fans of atmospheric and melancholic death/doom metal.

Rating: 7,5/10

Repost from Terra Relicta