Profetus - As All Seasons Die

Written by Steven Leslie


Profetus is a Finnish band that has been peddling their brand of stately, melancholic, nature inspired funeral doom metal since about 2007. They've built a solid name for themselves in the underground funeral doom seem since their first full length, Coronation of the Black Sun, which I highly recommend you pick up immediately if you don’t already own it. While I felt their second album fell off a little bit from the stunning first, their newest release is a welcome return to form.

The album starts with about three minutes of a rather pointless atmospheric intro, so common in underground music these days, but quickly makes it’s quality known with the opening notes of the first actual song. Anyone familiar with the Finnish brand of funeral doom peddled by bands like Skepticism or Thergothon won’t find any real surprises here, aside from the stellar production. That really is one of the strongest facets of the album, every note and every roar hits like a 10-ton brick. I always feel like funeral doom is some of the hardest music to review, because at least personally, it requires a certain melancholic mood to truly be enjoyed. That said, this album has a bleakness about it that allowed me to enjoy it even in the blazing hot Arizona summer sun.

Another thing that should be mentioned is the spectacular use of keys on the album. They are quite prominent throughout the record, which could be a turn off for some, but really made the record for this humble scribe. They add a truly elegant and regal tone to an otherwise barbarous (although slow) assault. Unlike bands like Elysian Blaze or Nortt that focus on more occult themes, the lyrics on As All the Seasons Die, as the title implies, are heavily nature influenced. This album would make the perfect soundtrack to a cold, gloomy fall or winter night, which is why I found it’s summer release date so puzzling. While it might take a few spins to really sink in, and honestly what funeral doom record doesn’t, it’s well worth your time if you have even a passing interest in the genre.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]