Albino Rhinö: Albino Rhinö

My family moved recently. It's hard to put a positive spin on lifting heavy furniture and unpacking boxes, but the end result is generally worth the effort. So is discovering the perfect soundtrack to the whole experience. For me, this doom-soaked gem by Finland's own Albino Rhinö helped get me through the long days of lifting, turning, and groaning.

I have to say that I'm not too keen on the band's name—the rhyme and the o-umlaut seem a little silly, as does its broader use as sexual slang. Aside from that, the music here is grounded in precisely the kinds of things that make doom metal such an exciting sub-genre: deep riffs, dark vocals, and a slow, even-tempoed, pace. Cooler still, this music comes to the listener more or less live from the studio—single takes that haven't been doctored up with fancy hardware or software. The result is a solid doom album that should please fans of the genre.

My main criticism of this album is that some of the songs can be overly repetitive. "The Forest Prevail," for example, repeats its basic musical ideas much too often. I really liked that track, but it honestly needed a bit more variety. I was also hoping for a bit more strength and character from the vocals. They suit the music fine, but they don't do enough to distinguish the band from others. Nevertheless, this is a solid offering, one that certainly helped me forge ahead through a long move.

Track Listing:
1. The Forest Prevail
2. Sanctification
3. Blue Mist
4. Uphold the Light (Part 1)

Added: May 1st 2014
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 3238
Language: english

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