Marianas Rest - Fata Morgana (2021)

Unleashing crushing melancholy and gloom, today we have Finland’s Marianas Rest and their third full-length release “Fata Morgana”. For being huge fans of Melodic Death/Doom Metal we are quite shocked that we never heard of this band before, but we are glad that this has since been corrected. Featuring Aapo Koivisto of Omnium Gatherum fame, this band delivers some of the most impressive and demoralizing melancholic music we have ever heard.

Creating an unsettling mysterious atmosphere in “Sacrificial”, the band starts building up the pummeling momentum of this release with solid atmospherics, diverse guitar styles and subtle piano passages. Jaakko Mäntymaa vocals perfectly fit the overall mood of the band’s sound, as their versatility (shrieks to growls to clean) allows the band to not sound like any of their other Finnish counterparts. “Glow from the Edge” keeps the misery rolling with bleak guitars, and haunting female vocals courtesy of guest Lindsay Schoolcraft, further elevating the band’s atmospheric brilliance.

Showcasing versatility and a fragile balance between brutality and melancholy, “Pointless Tale”, and “The Weight” brilliantly elucidate the band’s song writing skills and expert execution. On the heavier side, the album title track nicely blends delicate atmospheric keyboards and superbly emotional harsh vocal onslaughts. The best song in this release has to be the mesmerizing “Advent of Nihilism” and its weeping guitar leads, perfectly balanced with lush melodic headbanging passages.

Closing with the pummeling “South of Vostok”, the band comes full circle with an enigmatic piece filled with tempo changes and oozing of misery and melancholy. As a whole, “Fata Morgana” is one hell of a punishing release filled with moody compositions, tons of excellent transitions, and a very cohesive and unique sound. Marianas Rest is finally getting the exposure they need with this release, and with their refined sound will certainly capture the attention of fans of bands like Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, and Swallow the Sun, while still delivering their own unique take on the genre.

Label: Napalm Records

Release: March 12th, 2021

Genre: Melodic Death/Doom Metal

Country: Finland