Ep Review : Edoma “Shades of Cold Despair”
With Shades
of Cold Despair, Edoma deliver a compact yet immersive statement that
proves why they’ve become a respected name in the underground extreme metal
scene. Released in 2024, this four-track, 23-minute EP refuses to fade with
time. I took more than a week to fully absorb it—not out of delay, but because
each listen revealed new layers of atmosphere and intensity.
The
production strikes an excellent balance: organic and sharp without sounding
overly polished or excessively raw. It perfectly suits their Black/Death hybrid
identity. The artwork, too, reflects the cold aesthetic of the music without
falling into overused clichés.
Opening track “Lost in the Wilds” sets the tone immediately. After the first riff, one might think of Mgła—but only briefly. The song unfolds in a slow, majestic manner, with deliberate riff progressions, restrained blast beats, and a beautifully melodic solo that elevates the atmosphere without overwhelming it.
“Rebirth of the Flesh” shifts gears into something more direct and aggressive. Still rooted in black metal, it leans toward a darker, more oppressive mood reminiscent at times of Belphegor, especially in its mid-section where the ambiance turns more sinister. The solo here feels less melodic and occasionally carries a subtle blues-inflected phrasing.
The third
track, “Here to Suffer,” opens with a heavy, slow-burning riff steeped
in old-school black metal tradition, echoing the genre’s raw roots. Finally, “Unleashing
Pure Bitterness” closes the EP with a hypnotic main riff that loops like a
labyrinth, layered with blast beats and tortured blackened vocals.
Personally,
I would have loved an EP entirely in the vein of the first track—but this is
Edoma, not Mgła. And with this release, they have undeniably succeeded.
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