Review by SzejkElRopa on August 2, 2026.

Recently, I came across, or maybe more precisely, was recommended, a band called Solystalgia. I won't consider myself a big death metal fan, let alone death doom metal. I have heard of some classical bands, yet since I am constantly busy discovering newer black metal bands, I have never tried to delve into this genre. I was skeptical at first, but after all, I decided to give it a try, because once in a while, a change is necessary.

From what I sometimes read, I gather that 90s death doom is still loved by many people for its heaviness and overall extremely evil aesthetic, which is rarely achieved by bands nowadays. The rawness and the overall aura are something people extremely like about this genre. Well, Solystalgia isn't one of those bands that will spit in your face with blasphemous vocals and riffs that seem to devour you alive. Nevertheless, absolutely do not show it to your very religious family members (maybe excluding the song 'Acceptance'), and telling them that a Catholic saint created the artwork will not convince most people. Instead of all evil forces, we get a load of... nostalgia and sorrow. Yes, there are growled vocals, as well as some relentless percussion, but the riffs, which drive the album, are undoubtedly setting it in a saddening mood. In the song 'Funeral', the refrain is mid-paced and quite sinister-sounding, yet the sections after this find their place as more atmospheric and introspective. The longest track - 'Enthropic' deserves praise, because despite it lasting over ten minutes, everything in the track worked well. Especially taking into account the tension, which is built throughout the whole song, only to be defused with a good solo. The song starts at a slow pace, and it moves that way most of the time. It is led by either heavy riffs or unsettling melodies, which never become tedious; instead, they make the atmosphere quite melancholic. Although the tension move isn't the first one I've ever heard, and isn't the best one, it certainly stuck with me, evoking feelings of nostalgia and yearning - something I would have never expected from a death doom album.

The vocals are quite typical for the genre, as far as I can say, because these are the classical growls. We cannot forget about the backing vocals, which do fantastic work in tracks such as 'Collapse', as well as the clean vocals, especially those appearing in 'Acceptance'. In my opinion, it's the most emotional track on this album, and despite its simple structure, it works as one of the better finales for the album I've heard. I do not necessarily understand spoken words, which appear in, for instance, 'Reflection', because I cannot really decipher what exactly is being said. While instrumentals aren't a waste of time because they do not last long, they are not as good as those "real" songs. I think guitarwork was absolutely the best on this album, because it varied from more sinister riffing, such as in 'Funeral' or 'Collapse', to well-crafted melodies, making up the whole vibe of the album. On top of that, the guitar solos weren't the most technical or the best I've heard, and I'd rather consider them as the development of the melodies earlier in the track. It happens in 'Enthropic', for example, and it's not necessarily a bad thing; however, fans of technicality will not be satisfied here. The drumwork is quite technical and constantly varied. It often contrasts with the melodies, sounding much darker and more sinister, and definitely not boring, and one of the better ones I've encountered in a while.

At the end of the day, I need to admit that I didn't expect to find such an emotional album on the death metal scene. Well, at least I have yet another rabbit hole to explore. All in all, I give Solystalgia's self-titled album 8.4/10. It was a positive surprise, and listening to this album was a pleasure; however, it was not free of some weaker moments, which perhaps I do not understand... yet. Recommended for fans of death metal who do not seek extermination of mankind at every minute, and prefer to have something more introspective within the limits of this genre.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10