V - Pathogenisis album review

Featuring the talents of members past and present of Katatonia, In Mourning, Oak and Afgrund, Swedish sludge-tinged doom quartet V re-emerge from their Odin Sleep to unleash their first new material in a decade. Dubbed Pathogenisis, the debut full-length from the not-so prolific bunch is as strong as their pedigree suggests. Heavier than previous EP VI and littered with lyrics that reflect these dark times, the group are very much their own monster and this six-track effort doesn’t shy away from taking the odd risk or three – particularly on Suspended Animation, which slowly develops into a goth track. Opener Souls Of The Nearly Departed is a satisfying headfuck that uses delicate guitars and clean vocals to punctuate the ferocious riffs during the verse, while At The End Of Your Time is laden with gargantuan grooves and haunting melodies.