Memory Garden is Swedish band from Kumla formed in 1992 and recently released their fifth full-length album called “Doomain” via Metal Blade Records. To tell you the truth this is the first time I’ve listened to them and I was pretty surprised. The band claims to be a doom metal band but i found out that their sound is more complex than just that. They have elements of doom, heavy, power, and sometimes even prog metal and could be described as a mix of Memento Mori, Candlemass and Nevermore.
The album is great and has good pace during its total running that is about 45 minutes. Begins with a heavy melodic song with fantastic rhythm called “The Evangelist”, which is also the first video that the band launched for the promotion of “Doomain“. In songs like “Daughters Of The Sea” you can hear the resemblance that their sound has with bands like Candlemass and is more than obvious that Stefan Berglund‘s fantastic vocal skills are quite similar to Messiah Marcolin’s voice, at least at some points.
The band plays flawlessly with Ante Mäkelä on rhythm guitars and Simon Johansson on lead guitars that sound very tight and are full of melodies even though they have technical parts too, Johan Fredrikson with his unbelievable basslines and drummer Tom Björn that fulfill the rhythm section. The album has outstanding production and was recorded by the band itself at Annoying Sound Factory and Solnasound Recording and mixed and mastered at Unisound Studios in Örebro, Sweden by Dan Swanö, a producer / engineer/ musician that has worked with countless bands in the past.
I liked very much “Violate & Create” that is a bit faster and heavier than the other tracks but doesn’t compromise when it comes to melodies. You can also hear the band’s musical diversity in songs like “The King Of The Dead” and “A Diabolical Mind” that have continuously alternating tempos or the incredible melodic instrumental track called “Misfortune”. “Doomain” limited edition comes with a bonus CD with covers of classic songs like “The Needle Lies” (Queensrÿche), “Nightmare Be Thy Name” (Mercyful Fate), “Country Girl” (Black Sabbath) and six songs from “Verdict Of Posterity” album that was originally released via Metal Blade Records too in 1998.
So after listening to some of their past stuff too I think that “Doomain” is one of their best albums with great quality songs full of melodies that stuck in your head, amazing playing and sound. “Memory Garden” is definitely a band that I will have in mind for future releases and you should also give them a try if you are into this kind of music.