Mary Mortem’s debut album, Phantoms of the Fall, is a haunting journey through shadowed soundscapes where doomgaze’s crushing heaviness meets the ethereal haze of shoegaze, infused with the bleak intensity of black metal. This record is not just a listening experience—it’s an emotional immersion into sorrow, dread, and eerie beauty.

The album opens with Dead in Oologah, setting a slow, ambient tone. The guitar fuzz rolls in gradually, casting a sad, thick veil over the track. The riffs feel massive and distorted, while the drums’ heavy use of cymbals create an eerie sensation that feels like drifting through a haunted dream. Mortem’s vocals here are deliberately buried deep in the mix, evoking a sense of distance and mystery—like hearing a mournful lament from another realm. This track alone encapsulates the album’s marriage of black metal gloom and Lana Del Rey–style melancholy.

The title track, Phantoms of the Fall, continues this exploration with a sludgier, darker vibe. Here, the vocals come forward more clearly, layered to intensify the haunting atmosphere. The riffs are slow, terrifying, and massive, perfectly balanced by slightly faster, more menacing drums. The song conveys a calm dread, with vocals that sound eerily deathly, weaving a thick cloak of doom and gloom that mesmerizes rather than overwhelms.

Tracks like Lifeless and On Your Back and A Long Crawl in for You deepen this mood with subtle variations. The former introduces a more masculine vocal tone layered beneath dark, mesmerizing riffs and subtle blast beats, crafting an almost ritualistic sense of drowning in shadow. The black metal–influenced screams here are particularly effective, adding a sharp edge to the otherwise immersive gloom. The latter track uses minimalist instrumentation and cold, sinister riffs to build a repugnant yet captivating atmosphere. The interplay between lingering female vocals and distant male backing vocals provides a textured emotional contrast, heightening the song’s haunting emptiness.

The mood shifts slightly in The Hollowing, where the slow rhythmic riffs create a vast, hollow space. The production here shines, enveloping the listener in an almost visual experience—as if trapped inside a smoky, empty room searching for an exit. This track exemplifies the album’s use of space and emptiness as an emotional tool.

Burial Creek is a standout moment where the male vocals are fuller and more upfront, conveying deep conviction and blending effortlessly with Mortem’s female vocals. The balance in the vocal mix here is particularly strong, resulting in a track that feels both sad and haunting. The slow-building drums and riffs create a wave-like effect, further immersing the listener in the album’s somber themes.

The brief interlude Hunted offers a stark contrast, an anxiety-filled moment where distorted and warped vocals float over minimal instrumentation, adding a creepy, unsettling layer to the album’s narrative.

Then comes Shed Your Skin, arguably the album’s most aggressive track. It opens with a simple, sinister guitar strum that rings out with a raw, evil energy—evoking imagery akin to a dark, post-apocalyptic march. The feral black metal screams and cagey, animalistic vocals here push the album into more primal territory, while the catchy, headbanging riffs inject adrenaline into the otherwise slow, doom-heavy atmosphere.

Finally, the album closes with Taxidermy Bride, a slow, calculated piece where the precise, plucked riffs and methodical drums create a sense of finality. The vocal shifts between clean and screamed styles add a dramatic flair to this grand, dark finale, wrapping the album in a brooding, somber conclusion.

Throughout Phantoms of the Fall, Mortem’s artistic choices—such as burying vocals deep in the mix or leaning into minimal instrumentation—may occasionally challenge the listener’s clarity, but they always serve to enhance the album’s eerie, otherworldly mood. The thick, distorted riffs and the haunting blend of male and female vocals create a powerful emotional texture that lingers long after the music fades.

This album is not for those seeking quick gratification. Instead, it demands patience and immersion—rewarding listeners with a profound journey through grief, darkness, and introspective sorrow. Fans of doomgaze and blackgaze who appreciate slow-building, textured soundscapes with a strong emotional core will find Phantoms of the Fall a compelling, richly rewarding listen.

RATING: 8.5/10