Review by Rosh on December 29, 2021.

I'll cut right to the point - 1988's Mournful Cries epitomizes every last thing I love about traditional doom metal. Granted, I'm much more fanatic about this stuff than someone who simply appreciates it for what it is, but if you want downcast, bleak, dry, and even introspective metal, you've got it in its purest form.

So, this is actually my second favorite album by this legendary ensemble, after the timeless self-titled debut. One thing I love about both masterpieces is their short duration and focused, sparse tracklist, as it really drives home the "less is more" aspect of doom metal, which is what Saint Vitus are all about anyway. This approach finds true meaning in grey, melancholic music, as it simply wants to express its woebegone message, and let the emotional aftertaste created by such a brooding atmosphere do the talking. As much as I enjoy Reverend Bizarre and The Gates Of Slumber, one could make the argument for traditional doom metal albums being their most effective when dialed back in terms of length; the stuff is stripped down and relatively repetitive anyway, so it's best to keep it brief to drive the point home.

And the stripped down feel is what I love most; We have 6 tracks par excellence here, without a moment of filler. This was the second Vitus album featuring Scott "Wino" Weinrich on vocals, but the first where he also contributed some of his distinctive guitarwork to complement Vitus' rifflord Dave Chandler. The music is as directly doomy as it gets, but never becomes so dirge-like as to lose its sense of direction, which actually makes for a plodding (in a good way) yet pounding feel; just listen to the very first riff of descending gloom in 'The Creeps', the riff of inevitable downfall heard in the chorus of 'Dragon Time', or the bottomy, marching riff after the intro in 'Bitter Truth'. 'Dragon Time' actually might just be the doom song to declare the penance for all humanity for their vain and sinful ways, with the tale of a dragon torching and terrorizing defenseless villages, delivered in an anthemic yet hapless tone. 'Bitter Truth', and the album's closer 'Looking Glass' feel a bit less damning musically, with the former picking up the energy by a slight margin and the latter being a bit warmer sounding, but nonetheless, they offer only a type of hardened introspection that still leaves no room for jovial reaction. All of this exudes a particularly glum, solemn, and cheerless essence made all the more remarkable by a stoic and steadfast heaviness.

This worsening state of already severe depression, combined with the integration of Wino's winding wisdom into the six-string department, gives this album a slight leg-up over even its landmark predecessor, 1986's Born Too Late, whose atmosphere felt just a tad less massive and oppressive than that of Mournful Cries; I feel that, by a narrow margin, MC was this particular lineup of Saint Vitus' strongest outing. Maybe one thing that makes it feel a tad more doomed than its older brother is the contrast in colors of each record's respective covers. The warm pink of BTL's cover feels just a notch more cheery than the dark blue of the exquisite hydra painting. In actually meaningful musical terms, though, there is a bit less bounciness to be heard on this record than on the '86 one; certain songs like 'Clear Windowpane' and 'H.A.A.G.' (Hell Ain't A Game) from the pink album did have somewhat more "upbeat" moments that are absent here. Not only that, but the more slithering doom riffs of songs like 'Shooting Gallery' and 'The Troll' feel more involved and potent here than their older counterparts from songs like 'Dying Inside' and even 'Mystic Lady'. In particular, 'Shooting Gallery' is an anti-heroin song, and while I've heard plenty of those, few really make it out to be such a deathly, reprehensible substance; the mood of this song is that of an absolute downward spiral into substance abuse and chronic illness, evoking total emptiness - it was clear that Saint Vitus were still defining doom metal. This is a direction they would continue for their debut on Hellhound Records, 1990's V, spawning instant doom hits like the chilling 'Jack Frost', but still falling just short of Mournful Cries.

Much like their fellow US doomers Pentagram, Vitus had an incredibly strong debut studio album in the mid 80's, followed it up with two nearly as excellent records, and then once again peaked with their fourth studio outing. This is a noteworthy parallel, as "Review Your Choices" is my favorite release from Pentagram, not unlike how Mournful Cries is my favorite release from the Wino-era of Saint Vitus. This album epitomizes all the well-paced, ominous, and foreboding elements that make up traditional doom metal, in a classy and compact package. Positively essential listening for all the unkempt, groggy, downtrodden bastards who can't find a girlfriend in the world!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Felix on April 10, 2021.

What is the most appropriate term for Unleashed's debut? Semi-legendary, groundbreaking or just another Swedish death metal album? One thing is for sure, the galloping rhythms of 'Before The Creation Of Time' gave birth to the group's first classic. The song has everything a typical smash hit of a young metal band should have. Forward thrust, power, speed, catchiness without lard and an anti-mainstream attitude. It may not be a masterpiece of innovation, but this track was the first to grab me by the collar and threatenly murmur in my ear that I'd better get interested in Unleashed's music if I don't want to miss anything essential.

But of course that doesn't mean that the other pieces don't have anything going for them. Immediately after 'Before The Creation Of Time', the equally fast-paced 'For They Shall Be Slain' storms out of the speakers, followed as a counterpoint by the abysmal, dragging and threatening 'If They Had Eyes'. Heavy riffs and a demanding, but never really fast double bass form a rough block, whose grumpy melody is blown away by the northern winds at the end. These two songs define the musical range of the album.

Basically, Unleashed know the value of fast-paced songs. The album reaches an impressively high peak for the second time with 'Onward Into Glory Ride'. Again, a tank rolls over the listener, especially during the verses, although the quartet manages to give the whole thing a certain light-footed character as well. This full-length is not about lower and still lower tuned guitars. Nor is it about the most inhuman rattle possible. Hedlund, of course, doesn't twitter like a little bird at dawn, but his powerful organ doesn't need any major technical processing either. He cuts a fine figure with his sinister timbre.

Although Unleashed show no signs of flaunting their technical prowess, there is no mere rumbling on offer here. This may also be a merit of the oppressive production, which focuses more on transparency than on an underground compatibility. The mix helps all the musicians come into their own, even though the guitars may sound a little monotonous - and that is perhaps why the individual songs do not immediately distinguish themselves from each other to the degree expected. However, the dudes are able to keep a high degree of energy from the beginning to the end. They do not run out of ideas and so the finishing closer is more or less as good as the first regular song after the bootless intro. In all honesty, despite its great reputation, I don’t think that Where No Life Dwells is the best album Unleashed have ever released. But it provided the band with a hard-to-miss entry in the encyclopaedia of early nineties death metal.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10

Review by Felix on April 10, 2021.

What is the most appropriate term for Unleashed's debut? Semi-legendary, groundbreaking or just another Swedish death metal album? One thing is for sure, the galloping rhythms of 'Before The Creation Of Time' gave birth to the group's first classic. The song has everything a typical smash hit of a young metal band should have. Forward thrust, power, speed, catchiness without lard and an anti-mainstream attitude. It may not be a masterpiece of innovation, but this track was the first to grab me by the collar and threatenly murmur in my ear that I'd better get interested in Unleashed's music if I don't want to miss anything essential.

But of course that doesn't mean that the other pieces don't have anything going for them. Immediately after 'Before The Creation Of Time', the equally fast-paced 'For They Shall Be Slain' storms out of the speakers, followed as a counterpoint by the abysmal, dragging and threatening 'If They Had Eyes'. Heavy riffs and a demanding, but never really fast double bass form a rough block, whose grumpy melody is blown away by the northern winds at the end. These two songs define the musical range of the album.

Basically, Unleashed know the value of fast-paced songs. The album reaches an impressively high peak for the second time with 'Onward Into Glory Ride'. Again, a tank rolls over the listener, especially during the verses, although the quartet manages to give the whole thing a certain light-footed character as well. This full-length is not about lower and still lower tuned guitars. Nor is it about the most inhuman rattle possible. Hedlund, of course, doesn't twitter like a little bird at dawn, but his powerful organ doesn't need any major technical processing either. He cuts a fine figure with his sinister timbre.

Although Unleashed show no signs of flaunting their technical prowess, there is no mere rumbling on offer here. This may also be a merit of the oppressive production, which focuses more on transparency than on an underground compatibility. The mix helps all the musicians come into their own, even though the guitars may sound a little monotonous - and that is perhaps why the individual songs do not immediately distinguish themselves from each other to the degree expected. However, the dudes are able to keep a high degree of energy from the beginning to the end. They do not run out of ideas and so the finishing closer is more or less as good as the first regular song after the bootless intro. In all honesty, despite its great reputation, I don’t think that Where No Life Dwells is the best album Unleashed have ever released. But it provided the band with a hard-to-miss entry in the encyclopaedia of early nineties death metal.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10