CoC : Majestic Downfall - The First Abyss : Review

Majestic Downfall - _The First Abyss_
by: Jeremy Ulrey (4 out of 5)

The one man project of Dallas, Texas' Jacobo Cordova, Majestic Downfall set the bar high right out of the gate with their funeral doom this year's _The First Abyss_ demo. The only tip off that this "band" hasn't been around awhile is the lack of songs, even though the three on offer here total up to a solid 23 minutes. Cordova's time in Antiqua, whom I'm unfamiliar with, has clearly given him the experience and chops necessary to spearhead a successful band on his own. The playing, production, and writing are all just shy of stellar. The vocals in particular -- possibly the hardest thing to get right when it comes to funeral doom -- are well recorded and executed and, most importantly, brutally melancholy without being affected or overwrought. Guitars sport a crisp if emotionally brittle resonance; keys are used sparingly yet effectively; songs are mid-tempo for the most part, but cognizant enough to mix it up with faster breaks and the occasional time changes. Also impressive is that the percussion, while utilizing a drum machine, sounds organic and is not obviously generated electronically. An act to be on the lookout for, along with Cordova’s death/thrash project, Ticket to Hell.

Contact: http://www.myspace.com/majesticdownfall

(article published 23/6/2007)

ALBUMS
9/3/2009	Q Kalis	8	Majestic Downfall - Temple of Guilt