Evoken - Mendacium (2025)

Showcasing that the USA can also unleash punishing Funeral Doom albums, today we have the legendary Evoken and their latest opus “Mendacium”. Seven years have passed since their last full-length release and the band returns with some gargantuan slabs of Doom, split in eight tracks and over 60 minutes of music. For fans of slow and painful music, this release has that grainy old-school vibe of outfits like Thergothon and Morgion, with hauntingly simple and effective atmospherics and deep growls.

Opening with the cavernous explorations of “Matins”, the band sets a glacial pace with distorted riffs and subtle atmospherics. As the release progresses to the chugging Death Metal riffs of tracks like “Lauds”, and “Terce”, the listener can appreciate the band’s core influences in a slow and demoralizing way, creating a bleak atmosphere while providing rays of light through crafty guitar leads or instrumental passages. The band has perfected their tempo switching, to combine superbly slow parts with some hellish onslaughts of speed and punishment.

The hypnotic “None”, has to be one of our favorite songs with very chilling atmospheric and eerie clean vocals. Showcasing the band’s atmospheric abilities, “Prime” and “Vesper” provide respite from the usual proceedings while creating very ethereal and mysterious soundscapes. Closing with the ripping riffs of “Compline”, the band has managed to create a very engaging release that while it is slowburning, it has the right amount of punishment and restraint to create a unique listening experience.

Overall, “Mendacium” is another peg in the band’s storied career of masterful releases full of atmosphere and mystery. Evoken showcases that bands do not need unrestrained brutality to create uneasy and demoralizing releases, with just the right amount of atmospherics and distorted riffs, they achieve aural annihilation. If you are looking for a release to enjoy during a dark and bleak fall/winter day, “Mendacium” will certainly bring its dark shroud of misery.

Label: Profound Lore Records

Release: October 17th, 2025

Genre: Funeral Doom Metal

Country: USA