Album Review: Night Gaunt – The Room (Terror From Hell Records)

Italy has always had a strong tradition when it comes to Doom: Lurking in Rome’s darkest spots since 2013, Night Gaunt started their path in some of the most gloomy and frightful musical territory. Terror From Hell Records will release their second full-length album, The Room on the 2nd of November 2018.

Six track of towering riffs, echoing bass, haunting clean vocals and pounding drum beats, The Room is an album steeped in doomy heaviness. Thick and deep to wade through, the title track delivers a cold and uneasy opening before Penance brings delicious darkness with flashes of intensity amongst glacial riffing.

Night Gaunt’s ability to bring colossal heaviness alongside bleak beauty is what makes The Room such an enjoyable listen. Taking inspiration from the doom of the 70’s and mixing it with modern intensity leaves Oval Portrait imprinted on the mind.

Veil throws out a bit more pace for a short trip into the faster style that Night Gaunt can do before Labyrinth brings things back to the low and depressing state we’re used too on this album. Unfortunately this is also where the mind begins to drift elsewhere. Great riffing aside, the monotonous approach begins to lose impact.

It and the following last track, The Owl are long songs too both coming in at 9 minutes each. The latter suffers heavily from repetition resulting in a somewhat flat finale.

The Room is a good album, it just loses direction as it hits the latter portion of the record.

Night Gaunt – The Room Full Track Listing:

1. The Room
2. Penance
3. Oval Portrait
4. Veil
5. Labyrinth
6. The Owl

You can order the album from Terror from Hell Records here and keep up to date with news by liking Night Gaunt’s Facebook Page.