The calendar has flipped to November and it makes perfect sense that Chicago’s Novembers Doom has returned with a new serving of death and doom metal and the follows-up to 2017’s Hamartia. Accompanied by some stellar artwork, Nephilim Grove drowns in the depths of depression. That may sound dramatic and heavy, but the music churns at punishing dimensions that are leveled by heart wrenching lyrics.

Musicianship is in top form, especially with drummer Garry Naples. The drums thunder in and create the shimmering vibe of the record and he even unleashes a few blast beats from time to time! Paul Kuhr does a flawless job shifting from his clean and growling vocals and he’s able to shift the moods of the listener with the anger and pain his voice emotes. This is especially evident in standout track “What We Become”, where you can feel his depression about this forlorn love. I love how the solo erupts after he laments “I will always love you.” Completely bone-chilling and then they double down with a similar vibed, but more death metal oriented “Adagio” as the follow-up track. Nephilim Grove keeps the procession fresh with a slice of traditional metal, like with the rambunctious “The Witness Marks” and the razor sharp “The Clearing Blind”. I totally wouldn't mind if they continued to explore some more trad metal tendencies! Sitting at 53 minutes, that’s about the perfect mark when dealing with this type of death, doom, and gloom. The music is so sad, but it’s beautifully done and that’s where the attraction lies. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up!