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To avoid harping on the “remember when music sounded like it did before now?” mantra, suffice it to say that it stands out when a band like Isenordal<\/strong> conjures the primordial power of a genre while keeping things fresh. In an age where making a clean, faux-dramatic atmosphere is easier than ever, this Seattle band’s approach to folk-ish doom is akin to that of Ulver<\/a><\/strong>‘s debut Bergtatt<\/em> in that its lack of finesse actively serves its beauty. To this effect, Requiem for Eir\u00ean\u00ea<\/em> draws a compelling balance between the emotive hexes of neofolk with the crushing elegies of gothic doom metal. The album’s appeal to fans of lethargic melancholy goes without saying, taken above and beyond by Isenordal<\/strong>‘s commitment to vibrant, raw energy.<\/p>\n Fans of early funeral doomers like Thergothon<\/strong> and Skepticism<\/strong> will feel right at home with the droning organs, plodding percussion, and protracted leads of “A Moment Approaches Eternity.” But the difference compared to many contemporaries becomes how relatively quickly Isenordal<\/strong> gets the song plugging away\u2014not exactly in tempo, but certainly in establishing motifs and grooves worth repeating for 15 minutes. Even so, the real show stopper becomes the interplay between Kerry Hall<\/strong>‘s brutish growls and the harmonious singing between Eva Vonne<\/strong> and Lieu Wolfe<\/strong>. Creating a dense atmosphere through melodic interplay and sweeping dynamic shifts, Isenordal<\/strong> shows their sonic breadth through rustic, string-driven rituals to doom metal waltzes.<\/p>\n