From the Greek town of Thessaloniki, a new doom has risen. THE TEMPLE is a four piece of passionate Doom Metal devotees, who sold their soul to the music of slow suffering. Even though they started in 2005 already, “Forevermourn” is their first album after a demo in 2007 and last year’s EP with recordings from the demo and other songs from that era. Slow music needs slow songwriting, it seems. And the long time needed to compose and refine the songs was absolutely worth it. From the first notes, the epic songs of THE TEMPLE grip my doomed heart. The opening tune ‘The Blessing’ already convinces with a kind of story telling that is close to a kind of grown-up fairy tale, while ‘Qualms In Regret’ breathes a heavy despaired feeling. ‘Remnants’ is even more epic and was refined with nearly sacral choirs that give this song an atmosphere of sacred hopelessness. It’s up to the very long and viscous ‘Death The Only Mourner’ to become the first tiny little flaw on “Forevermourn”, since the song needs time to really catch the listener. But with ‘Mirror Of Souls’, this little weakness is absolutely forgiven, since this completely gripping epic is more than just a song – it’s an anthem, it’s one of the greatest moments in epic poetry I listened to for years! After a lachrymose masterpiece like this, the last two songs are of course not that brilliant, but I didn’t expect that anyway. ‘Beyond The Stars’ is another song that takes a little more time to grip me, yet, in the long run, this one knows to catch my attention again with finest guitar harmonies and instrumental pieces. And the twelve and a half minute long ‘Until Grief Reaps Us Apart’ knows to keep the tension over the full running time, turning out to be an even a little complex epic of an album finisher. So, if you’re into Doom Metal with a sense of desperation and a lot of epic moments, THE TEMPLE definitely is a great find! Don’t hesitate to check them at https://thetemple2.bandcamp.com or www.facebook.com/the.temple.doom.metal. But you might also visit the label at www.ihate.se or www.facebook.com/ihaterecords