Isole – Born From Shadows

In Sweden, apart from good Death and Black Metal bands, you can find also great Doom Metal bands. Besides, Candlemass have left a rich legacy. Isole started as Forlorn in 1990 with three members, Daniel Bryntse, Crister Olsson and Henrik Lindenmo who are still in Isole and manage the band. They released some demo tapes in the ’90s but the band was inactive for some years, because some members were quitting or living somewhere else. In the ’00s when a record label wanted to sign the band, they were looking for something refreshing, so Isole was born. The band increased its shares with the releasing of “Bliss of Solitude” in 2008 and became popular to a wide range of public.

After two years, from the epic “Silent Ruins” and one good album with their side project, Ereb Altor, the doomsters are presenting their new full-length album. As one of the Candlemass children, the influences of the Doom Metal veterans in Isole’s music are clear. “Born From Shadows” has more Candlemass elements than its predecessors albums. But now a dilemma is created for me: Shall I write a subjective review as a Candlemass fan or shall I write an objective review where I will criticize Isole’s music in this album and I will accordingly grade it? I guess that I should do something in the middle, because it’s actually a pretty good album, but more Candlemass than Isole, in my opinion.

The first two songs, “The Lake” and “Black Hours” are clearly like Candlemass, and these songs could perfectly fit in any album under their brand. Both vocals and the guitar compositions prove that. But they are well played and Isole doesn’t drag to this. In “The Lake” for example the harsh vocals are boosted and this is the core of Isole’s Doom Metal. Although there is complex guitar composition, these two songs don’t remind so much the Isole from the past. The whole “Born From Shadows” is a very solid and one-piece album. That means that the listener doesn’t distracted easily from the heavy doom atmosphere. The four songs that I personally distinguish are the “Born From Shadows” song, “Come to Me”, “My Angel” and “Condemned”. These songs have something from the “Bliss of Solitude” and “Silent Ruins” era. In the title song we have the same epic vocals as the previous albums, heavy flowing riffs, smashing drums and the harsh vocals make it a characteristic Isole song. Also “My Angel”, “Come to Me” and “Condemned” follow the same way and the Swedes use again their heart-sickened and mourning Doom Metal. These songs are for sure slow and torturing Doom Metal that pulls the listener down to the abyss, even if “Come to Me” is near to Candlemass music, the elements of Isole’s music outweigh in this song. The album ends with the atmospheric doom track “When All Is Black”. I have to say that the track has very good and heavy riffs and very dark atmosphere but it tires from a point until the end of the song.

Summarizing, “Born From Shadows” is a well produced album with very capable music compositions. It is primarily a classic Doom Metal album. Maybe some fans would have a different opinion, but “Bliss for Solitude” and especially “Silent Ruins” ,where they transcended themselves, are far better albums than “Born From Shadows”. Isole is still a very good band and worthy successors of the Doom Metal heritage.