Review: Draconian – Sovran
Oct 26
Draconian – Sovran (Doom/Melodic Death, Napalm Records)
Release: Oct. 30th, 2015
Swedish doom metal band Draconian have arguably been one of the more unheralded purveyors of melodic melancholy over the course of their history (which is longer than their catalog would suggest, having officially started in ‘94, but not having an official LP release until ‘03’s Where Lovers Mourn). Slightly more energetic and textured than guitarist/songwriter Johan Ericson’s other band, the more funeral-focused Doom:VS, the group has been responsible for a small handful of respectable releases that stand on their own alongside contemporaries such as My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, or Novembre. Their newest effort, Sovran is no different, offering a slew of melodic doom/death appropriate for the more forlorn-feeling metalhead, though regrettably without any boundaries being tested for either the genre or the band themselves.
The album opens up with “Heavy Lies the Crown”, a slow, lumbering dirge of a song that does a fine job of introducing the listener to the record as a whole since it embodies not only the classic Draconian sound but that of the newest effort. That sound is a well-textured palette of slow-swinging but crushingly grand guitar chords, a subtle though solid foundation of bass, and Anders Jacobsson’s trademark graveyard growls, which sound as unhallowed and grisly as ever. Of special note, of course, is newcomer Heike Langhans who takes over the clean female vocals for long-time member Lisa Johansson. Heike handles the duties as flawlessly as her predecessor, providing a beautiful contrast to vocalist Anders and guitarist/backing vocalist Johan Ericson’s guttural passages. Stylistically, her addition doesn’t change the formula or delivery of the clean vocal sections, but she does bring a new voice that is slightly higher in register and is actually quite reminiscent of Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) in a very fitting way. The same vibe is carried onto “The Wretched Tide” except with a pleasing build into a higher energy mid-section where Heike really gets to shine on center-stage. In fact, the technique used in this track and others of featuring the clean female vocals during the heaviest builds rather than the growls other bands would use for full force is a rather captivating one. A highlight of the album is certainly “Stellar Tombs”, which features some of the most dynamic and effective songwriting the band is capable of, starting with a pummeling, driving riff and evolving into a wide-open chorus, resulting in a well-rounded and repeatable track.
There are, however, certain weak points to the album. The back half drags a bit, not having as many stand-out moments as the first half, and not only that but some of the tracks in the later section are little more than filler. Granted, some fluff is acceptable in terms of creating breathing space, but not when a few of the songs sound woefully derivative of each other. The rut is saved somewhat by an appearance of Daniel Änghede from Crippled Black Phoenix on the track “Rivers Between Us”, and while the song remains low-key, the subtle groove and late-era Paradise Lost chillout vibe is a nice touch. The album ends on an appropriately graceful note with “Marriage of Attaris”, but once the music fades it still feels like the magic of the first half was lost.
Sovran doesn’t break any new ground, even with a slightly new line-up, but they do manage to continue the gradual evolution they have been fostering since their debut. Notably, the album features the somewhat recent tendency of building to higher energy and tempo interludes and choruses which have been noticeable on the two preceding records. Yes, slow moving songs of big, lurching chords are a principle of doom, but interjecting some dynamics into the mix make for a much more enticing listen. Also, the production seems to be gaining more mindful treatment here; everything in the mix, aside from perhaps the bass, is given clarity in the mix and overall the album sounds less mushed than the previous A Rose for the Apocalypse (it also thankfully avoids the overly compressed wall-of-sound so many Swedish metal albums feature these days).
Conclusion: Sovran is a beautifully heavy collection of doom metal from a reliable contributor to the genre, and while not everything on the album will keep your attention, there are enough reasons to give it a thorough listen. From the forlorn death-dirges to the sensually sweeping passages of newcomer Heike Langhans, Draconian offers a solid record of melodic melancholy.
