Band:	Officium Triste
Album:	The Pathway
Style:	Death doom metal
Release date:	2001
Guest review by:	Passenger

01. Roses On My Grave [Newly-recorded version]
02. Pathway Of Broken Glass
03. Foul Play
04. Camouflage
05. Divinity
06. Deep Down
07. This Is Goodbye

I discovered Officium Triste via their fourth full length, which has quickly become one of my favourite Doom/Death Metal albums of recent years. The band's emphasis on atmosphere by means of diverse composition, using keyboards, violin and even samples, is particularly coherent and fresh. As I went through their back catalogue, I realized the maturity displayed in "Giving Yourself Away" has been constant, and not just a streak.

"The Pathway" is a curious object. Immediately noticeable is the poetic and relaxed tone that I've realized to be a common characteristic of Officium Triste. Don't misinterpret me, this is a depressing dose of slow Doom, but done with a class and confidence that sets the band apart. "Roses On My Grave", "Pathway (Of Broken Glass)" or "This Is Goodbye" flow extremely well, they have an uncanny beauty to them, they have their own identity, and it's attractive to listen to something that tries to transcend possible comparisons with the moguls of the genre.

Officium Triste are capable of captivating the melancholic in us without trying too hard. Consistency is, gladly, a key word here - the songs are as long as they have to be, they don't drag, and, throughout, every single instrument is seamlessly blended. The structures aren't very tight, and this all can range from almost relaxing minimalism (hear the start of "Deep Down") to a more obtrusive riffage with extraordinary ease.

Pim Blankenstein's vocal work stands out a lot, and his transitions from grunts to clean passages are well done. If there's a slight weak point here, it's the lyrics, sometimes probably being a bit too direct and lacking the charm the music requires. Obviously, the line-up includes a keyboarder, Martin Kwakernaak, whose work is vital to the overall sound. In the beginning of "Foul Play" there's a sample from a Joe Pesci film, I don't know whose decision was it to include it, but it fits in a really peculiar way.

Most of all, "The Pathway" transports a great deal of sadness, but it hits mostly our romantic side, and not the misanthropic. Every single song, be it 4 or 8 minutes long, slow or? slower, is really heartfelt and memorable. Whether or not "The Pathway" is better than their other works I'll leave up to each listener, because personally I enjoy them all a lot. It is an album I recommend you to listen to with no interruptions, let it sink in you and it shall be really easy to enjoy.