Gloomy Grim - Tapetum Lucidum

The Bells Toll My Name

Self-Released
2007

My first impression of the cover of Tapetum Lucidum was “Gravediggaz” (with “Paul Wall” and “Goldie” close behind). Turns out I wasn’t far off – Gloomy Grim plays self-styled “horror movie metal,” with haunted house synths over melodic black metal. The result is rather campy, like if Rob Zombie did black metal. When you reference scariness so much, you lose that quality.

However, this four-song EP is well-done. It’s one of the best-sounding self-released productions I’ve heard. The guitars and synths mesh well, the drums have impact, and the mix sounds professional. The “things that go bump in the night” lyrics are nicely laid out as a photograph. Close listening reveals subtleties and cool little flourishes in the “orchestration” of the synths. They’re making sounds a real orchestra (on a scoring stage, anyway) would make. I can’t tell if this Finnish band is being tongue-in-cheek, but they don’t sound like anyone else I know. You can order this EP directly from the band.