Microdose: Clouds, Treurwilg, Gospel Of Death & Loviatar
Verdict: I have been a die-hard fan of Clouds ever since their grand opening in 2014 with Doliu and their third album, Dor, was my 2018’s third best album. Durere, however, is miles away from their grandeur and they are clearly not at the top of their game. My take on this issue is that they have spread themselves too thin and they are releasing albums too often to the point that they have begun to repeat themselves and lose their magic. I do want Clouds to sound like Clouds, but I don’t want them to give me the same thing they have always given. I mean the atmosphere, which is the key element in any atmospheric album, is mostly unimaginative and uninspiring and clean vocals have actually worsened (take Empty Hearts as one example). Lyrics, too, remain as heart-wrenching and tear-jerking as ever, but this one is actually a plus and I am totally in favor of that; Clouds’ lyricism has always had a way to my heart. Overall, it is absolutely a worthwhile effort, but somewhat imperfect. […]
