The title translates as 'Human existence must be a mistake', so I'm quite sure we're dealing with something quite depressive and misanthropic here. The music seems to match that idea perfectly, blending the crushing sound of doom metal with the eerie atmosphere of black metal, while throwing in some sludge, post-metal and ambient passages. The result is a stunning vortex of pitch black music, perfectly suited to feed your hatred toward mankind.
In four tracks, this quartet spews out their darkest emotions, usually in a pretty brutal fashion. Yet, these aren't just blast of musical chaos, doom metal rarely is. These guys know a thing or two about songwriting, about combining a harsh, raw sound with melody and atmosphere. In my eyes, that's obviously a massive plus. Besides, the whole album is well-varied, often coming up with some surprising hooks.
It's not an easy task to compare Ceremonia to other bands, yet I think that mentioning Evoken, Cult Of Luna, Isis, Poema Arcanus and Woods Of Ypres would come quite close. In the end, we don't need to compare this anything. This album can perfectly stand on its own and make a serious impact on the world of doom metal. So check it out and join me in hoping that Ceremonia are packing for a massive European tour...
Serge