Band:	Elegeion
Album:	The Last Moment
Style:	Doom metal
Release date:	August 16, 2005
A review by:	Undercraft

01. The Last Moment
02. Scars
03. Solitude
04. Taste
05. Heaven's Torment
06. Wallow
07. Confusion

4 years of silence. Anthony Kwan can say for sure that Elegeion is a project that has brought him many joys and pains too, from the first EP released under Candlelight Records, to the first full-length release through small (and quite incompetent) label Modern Invasion Music. After many struggles, Metal Mike and his cohorts at Dark Symphonies picked this up and it might turn out to be the best pick of their lives.

Elegeion plays Doom Metal with some Gothic influences, but the main drive of Elegeion is melancholy, either if it's transmitted via violins, female vocals or rasped grunts. Now we found an Elegeion with 3 active members, not only one like the prior album. 3 heads participating in the creative process might turn out productive, let's take a look.

The album starts with the title track "The Last Moment", a song that describes pretty well what Elegeion is: female vocals, beautiful string arrangements, raspy almost whispered grunts and gloomy themes. Please notice the amazing guitar solo at the end of the song, it sounds almost Pink-Floydish. Next is "Scars" a piano & vocal duet, interpreted by the amazing voice of Dieudonnee. Although this song doesn't contain any "metal" elements, it sure fits in the album perfectly and establishes the proper mood for the next song.

"Solitude" is much more obscure and filled with much more despair than the others. One thing that saves it from total obscurity are the strings popping once in a while - a light at the end of the tunnel? Don't miss the intense strings solo at the end of the song.
Things were going pretty good until "Taste" which is, bluntly said, a pop song that doesn't fit in the album. Sad but true.

"Heaven's Torment" begins like another filler, another Pop-ish song, but luckily things get better when the guitars and excellent chorus make entrance. "Wallow" is exactly the thing I was hoping to hear in this album, a song that takes time to develop, doesn't rush things and turns out to be one of the best of the album. In closer track "Confusion" we can have a peek at the exquisite string work of Elegeion, not only that you can also explore the true identity of the music, fragile yet emotional.

Special mention to the awesome artwork that graces the cover of "The Last Moment" of course, it was done by artist extraordinaire Travis Smith.

I must say this album left me somewhat unsatisfied. While there are memorable moments in almost each song of the album, it feels quite different to "Through The Eyes Of Regret". Maybe it is that this time there where 3 heads in the creative process rather than one, or maybe I just need to listen to it more. Also, we waited 4 years for a 40 minute record?

The Last Moment is a great album but fails to surpass its predecessor and when you're waiting for an album for so many years the expectations are really big, trust me. Doom fans should check this one out, you won't be disappointed.