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Review: Rigor Sardonicus - Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus
Rigor Sardonicus
www.smilingdeath.com/RigorSardonicous
Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus

Label: Paragon Records
Year released: 2008
Duration: 38:58
Tracks: 8
Genre: Funeral Doom

Rating:
3.75/5


Review online: April 6, 2008
Reviewed by: Pagan Shadow
Readers' Rating
How do you rate this release?

Rated 2.43/5 (48.57%) (7 Votes)
Review

Rigor Sardonicous is the work of Joseph Fogarazzo (guitars, vocals and tambourine) and bass player Glenn Hampton. The crafty use of a drum machine makes it sound very realistic and no such thing as annoying mechanical noises can be deciphered. Mainman Joseph Fogarazzo received formal education in mortuary science and worked as a funeral director. No big surprise then that this person came into the underground scene as a Funeral Doom Metal artist.

Granted this type of metal is not that easy to listen to, and it can even be very hard to sit through an entire album. Not the case really here since Vallis Ex Umbrade Mortuus is not as lengthy as the majority of the Funeral Doom albums I've reviewed so far, clocking in at 39 minutes. One word about the booklet which shows many death references such as rock of ages and young ladies in coffin. Now I'm not sure if they are actually dead persons, in which case it is kind of spooky and morbid. The opening track "Mane de Maeroris" is a bit strange in the context since it is mostly flute, tambourine and clean vocals that can be heard. On the remaining numbers, the slow, down-tuned, heavy and distorted sonic structure is to be witnessed. The production is pretty good, so the rawer edge felt is mostly reduced to the distortion in the guitar work. Not that much variation is offered and no keyboards or even samplings have been included, so the result is a somewhat melodic piece of music. Nothing outstanding but all the compositions are kind of nice with "Laudare Apocalypsis" being the song I liked the most. The vocals are quite something else by their deep and guttural nature, something really wicked and seemingly coming from beyond.

Vallis Ex Umbra de Mortuus is worth investigating by the Funeral Doom Metal fans.

More about Rigor Sardonicus...
Review: Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible)
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