Son of Mourning – In the Tameness of Wolf
Self-released - 2007
By Adam McAuley
One might expect a doom metal album from the title
In the Tameness of Wolf and band name, but instead this is vicious melodeath that never fails to excite. However, a lack of innovation means that the band don't rise much above the generic melodic death that is so popular at the moment. Instead, we get just another fun listen - exciting, but that doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from other similar (and not particularly compelling) bands of the genre.
The upbeat hardcore feel that this album carries are reminiscent of the mid-period works of
In Flames;
Colony for example. Though these works are reasonably enjoyable, they don’t carry the same weight as albums like
The Jester Race by any stretch of the imagination, and neither does
In the Tameness of Wolf, being more a fun adrenaline rush. As such, it’s enjoyable, but only in small doses, and lacks distinguishing marks to really make it a completely worthwhile listen. As is often the case for these types of albums a stellar production job can help to bolster the experience, as do the piercing vocals, and both are present here.
A fast pace is maintained throughout the album, along with abrasive tone, making this a visceral listen, hence this doesn’t descend to mallcore-esque tendencies at any point. This is not uncommon, as bands like
Arise use a similar style to effective results, and although
Son of Mourning aren’t astounding by any means, they make for a enthralling listen. In conclusion, the band come off as far more upbeat than their name might suggest, and though there’s a slight lack of innovation to be found, this album is worth checking out.
Official Son of Mourning Website
