From Finland another one-man project has taken the shape of a band, this time is the melodic doom metal band Depressed Mode. Oh yes, I like the pun towards that horrid pop band. Let’s see what their debut Ghost Of Devotion brings us.

The nine tracks on this album offer the listener a collection of melancholic and depressed funeral doom, accompanied by both male and female vocals. Melody plays an important issue in this band, because founder and lead composer of Depressed Mode, Ossy Salonen, plays the synthesizer as well as handling clean vocals and grunts. I hear a lot of classical influences down the line as well, and this feeling is only enforced by the enchanting vocals from Natalie Koskinen (Shape Of Despair).

 

I must say the mix of the album doesn’t sound as an overwhelming whole to me, which is a bit of a pity. But they probably tribe by any means necessary to get this thing recorded, especially when you consider that the recording process for it started about a year ago. Must have been a hell of a job getting her done.

 

For me there’s no real outstanding track on this album, but neither is there a bad track to be found. In other words, Ghost Of Devotion is a consistent album, which probably appeals to most fans of the genre. That is if you don’t mind the emphasis of the band lying on the keyboards.