Nemorous are a UK black metal band and this is their debut album.
What Remains When Hope Has Failed has been a long time coming for yours truly. Arising from the ashes of the mighty Wodensthrone, Nemorous gave us their self-titled debut EP in 2021, and it was gloriously good. I then had the privilege of seeing them play this release live a couple of years ago when they played with Stormkeep. Then, earlier this year, they played Fortress, where they treated the crowd to an early rendition of What Remains When Hope Has Failed. Which brings us now to the album itself. To say I’m ready for this is an understatement.
What Remains When Hope Has Failed is a 43-minute journey into emotive atmospheric black metal. Nemorous’ sound is awash with feeling and an almost tangible richness of depth. The album is ripe with vibrant melody, melancholic aggressive atmosphere, and introspective layers. It’s highly textured music, providing the listener with a journey to undertake that’s filled with warm mournful moods and a wealth of nuanced performances.
The songs are well-written and have the feel of music that has been obsessed over to the point of a natural conclusion, without the burden of seeking an unachievable version of perfection. All aspects of the songs are well-considered and fit within the overarching musical framework easily and smoothly. The drums are earthy and laced with subtleties within the hammering they dish out. The guitars have a satisfying quality that allows them to reach into your head and stimulate the Black Metal Core of the brain just right. And the keyboards? These are frequently transportive and exemplary. Even the oft-ignored bass can be heard and appreciated, which is not commonly something you can say. Taken together, this is an exquisite collection of songs, delivered adroitly by musicians that know their art intimately.
Oh, and there are vocals too, of course. What Remains When Hope Has Died has a different singer to the one on the band’s EP, and he puts on a sterling performance throughout this new record. His sharp, bladed screams are high pitched and delivered with zeal, while still retaining an essence of humanity that allows for the portrayal of emotion. I also really like the dark, expressive growls that are deployed here and there; they succeed in adding a lot to the music, more than you might expect.
What Remains When Hope Has Failed is an excellent black metal album. Nemorous have not disappointed. Had this been released earlier in the year I would have had enough time to cement my feeling that this would have placed very well in this year’s best of list, but alas, it has appeared too late. Regardless, that absolutely should not prevent you from immersing yourself in its richly mood-focused blackened embrace. I’ll be absorbing and enjoying this for some time to come yet, and I look forward to seeing them live again once more, hopefully in the new year.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 