Review by Alex on December 15, 2019.

Slow melancholic, sorrowful tunes are the tunes of the season for those that could care less about holiday cheer. Officium Triste fetches the punishing weight of burdensome thoughts and regret with their sixth full length record titled The Death of Gaia. I can say this is certainly one of the finest melodic death/doom metal pieces if not, (the finest) to come out in 2019 and what a tear-some way the Dutch folks close the year; a weeping funereal ceremony for the sad destruction of earth. Drenched in the despondent streams of a Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, The Death of Gaia is a nosedive to deep lamentation.

It's not often I could relax to music that has such a downcast atmosphere, but when it's done this well, resistance becomes a problem. The downfall is put-in motion with 'The End is Nigh' finding comfort during the descent through the use of cello and violins to arouse the beauty of Officium Triste's melodic landscapes. There is much of that on The Death of Gaia, so don't expect mindless repetition at any time. Just as strong are the guitars that create soothing melodies contrast to the constant dejected feel of the keyboards, violins, acoustic guitars and cello. This opens the opportunity for optimism amidst the overwhelming pessimism trying to choke out all hope; as you would come to notice the various methods used in an attempt to combat the despondency at times. Somewhat like the artwork, which evokes a sense of grief, challenged by the fading shades of different colors, the music on The Death of Gaia goes through a process it seems of dominant gloom pestered-off sometimes by warm guitar melodies and other effects I will emphasize on later.

Officium Triste also make certain to represent the sensational artwork portraying the 4 seasons it appears. Through the many tones and fluctuating momentum, that sense of seasonal transition is awoken to great effect. Some progressive metal elements take shape on the interlude-esque 'A House in a Field in the Eye of the Storm' building a path of sorts showing where the music may be heading. That trajectory manifests to some degree on ’The Guilt' by means of the clean, harmonious tongue of Mariska van der Krul contested by Pim Blankenstein's doleful growls, again reinforcing the importance of contrast in this kind of music, keeping it clear of monotony. 'Just Smoke and Mirrors' is Just Beautiful, from its spoken passages of crestfallen and motivational poetry, to its ascending rhythmic course uplifting even through saddening tones, this track is the brightest gleam of hope you'll get on The Death of Gaia, and goes as far as earning the best Gothic death/doom song I have heard for 2019; a more than convincing take on the sub-genre I think most listeners would enjoy.

Once being relayed the baton, the sound expands into a progressive flash-by, maneuvering its way to 'Like a Flower in the Desert' further making use of the progressive inclusions, this time raising the pace to suit a Gothic rock/metal attire interrupted by the incisions of doom. The Death of Gaia has to be the strongest recording in the sub-genre of melodic death/doom metal, I don't think there's anything out there surpassing workmanship this enticing and brilliantly pieced-together. Topping an offering so diligent and delicate would mean a new My Dying Bride record. The Death of Gaia being Officium Triste's sixth full length album is a hummingbird circling the ears, dispersing sweet melodies of dejection and hope. If you love this kind of tunes you need to own a physical copy of The Death of Gaia.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 27, 2020.

Onslaught and Sacrilege have one thing in common. They are the British bands that changed their style faster than their compatriots the underpants. Sacrilege took a wild ride from crust over their very own form of thrash (if we neglect pretty typical thrashers such as “Insurrection”, the jewel that was never officially released on a regular full-length) to tiring doom. Their debut, originally published in 1985 – 35 years ago, f**k! – lurks around the crusty corners of punk while being supported by metallic guitars. Tam sounds like the sister of Sodom’s Angelripper. She appears as an angry brat, while each and every riff screams a big piss off in the face of the establishment and the playtime of only 26 minutes underlines the band’s contempt for usual designs. Sacrilege’s debut is not too far away from some releases of Broken Bones or English Dogs, but don’t think of pretty stale outputs like “Where Legend Began”. The songs boast with cruel sharpness and start a rebellion against all conventional guidelines. An infectious atmosphere is created, and I wonder that I still sit here on my chair instead of collecting followers for a revolution. I beg your pardon, but I have to do this right now….

…break…break…break…

Ah, sorry for the short interruption. Nobody was interested in my act of defiance; the revolution must wait. So, let’s get back to Beyond the Realms of Madness and pick out its two thirds instrumental. 'The Closing Irony' paves the way for the kind of riffing that made Within the Prophecy to such a fantastic record. It’s this kind of constantly drilling guitars that create the high degree of subliminal pressure and an uncomfortable touch of the apocalypse. I don’t know the (guitar) sound of the original release, but the remastered re-issue from 2015 boasts with excellently sawing and rasping guitars. But don’t get me wrong, it’s not only a good guitar sound, the entire mix scores with vehement compactness. Given this fact, all six original songs reveal an unexpected force, not only in view of the mostly high velocity. Finally, the band also had a close eye on a smooth flow of the tracks. Despite their rebellious aura, they rely on clearly defined and rather conservative patterns.

The bonus material of the re-issue is neither necessary nor annoying. Those who waited for demo versions of Within the Prophecy songs, here they will find them with a comparatively powerless sound. The live tracks at the end of the album also pass by without making the album better. More interesting are probably the new studio cuts 'Feed' (a slightly bulky number that commutes between mid- and up-tempo) and 'Dig Your Own Grave' (an impulsive eruption in the vein of the old material which stops in front of the two minutes mark). Good tunes, but the real thing is the work from 1985, the snot, the aggression, the uncompromising execution; and my evaluation mainly refers to these songs. Although Sacrilege (in 1985) and me (30 minutes ago) failed, the rebellion will come.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 27, 2020.

Onslaught and Sacrilege have one thing in common. They are the British bands that changed their style faster than their compatriots the underpants. Sacrilege took a wild ride from crust over their very own form of thrash (if we neglect pretty typical thrashers such as “Insurrection”, the jewel that was never officially released on a regular full-length) to tiring doom. Their debut, originally published in 1985 – 35 years ago, f**k! – lurks around the crusty corners of punk while being supported by metallic guitars. Tam sounds like the sister of Sodom’s Angelripper. She appears as an angry brat, while each and every riff screams a big piss off in the face of the establishment and the playtime of only 26 minutes underlines the band’s contempt for usual designs. Sacrilege’s debut is not too far away from some releases of Broken Bones or English Dogs, but don’t think of pretty stale outputs like “Where Legend Began”. The songs boast with cruel sharpness and start a rebellion against all conventional guidelines. An infectious atmosphere is created, and I wonder that I still sit here on my chair instead of collecting followers for a revolution. I beg your pardon, but I have to do this right now….

…break…break…break…

Ah, sorry for the short interruption. Nobody was interested in my act of defiance; the revolution must wait. So, let’s get back to Beyond the Realms of Madness and pick out its two thirds instrumental. 'The Closing Irony' paves the way for the kind of riffing that made Within the Prophecy to such a fantastic record. It’s this kind of constantly drilling guitars that create the high degree of subliminal pressure and an uncomfortable touch of the apocalypse. I don’t know the (guitar) sound of the original release, but the remastered re-issue from 2015 boasts with excellently sawing and rasping guitars. But don’t get me wrong, it’s not only a good guitar sound, the entire mix scores with vehement compactness. Given this fact, all six original songs reveal an unexpected force, not only in view of the mostly high velocity. Finally, the band also had a close eye on a smooth flow of the tracks. Despite their rebellious aura, they rely on clearly defined and rather conservative patterns.

The bonus material of the re-issue is neither necessary nor annoying. Those who waited for demo versions of Within the Prophecy songs, here they will find them with a comparatively powerless sound. The live tracks at the end of the album also pass by without making the album better. More interesting are probably the new studio cuts 'Feed' (a slightly bulky number that commutes between mid- and up-tempo) and 'Dig Your Own Grave' (an impulsive eruption in the vein of the old material which stops in front of the two minutes mark). Good tunes, but the real thing is the work from 1985, the snot, the aggression, the uncompromising execution; and my evaluation mainly refers to these songs. Although Sacrilege (in 1985) and me (30 minutes ago) failed, the rebellion will come.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10