Review by Shezma for Dirge (FRA) - Wings of Lead Over Dormant Seas (2007)

This is such an album of two halves. First of all it's 2 hours long. Can't say I've ever enjoyed an album completely for 2 hours+, most aren't good past 1. The first half is a generic atmospheric sludge album. The second is a one hour long title track that I fell completely for. It's not as sludge, but maybe a bit more of the drone style. I'm not really well versed in drone but I always appreciated it when I heard it. There's just so much music that I have yet to listen to. My rating is entirely for the song, the hour long song that is the length of the album. I debated on whether to average out my rating for both halves but since the Wings of Lead Over Dormant Seas is so long and definitely worth checking out I decided to lean towards the higher rating. The first half was uninteresting to me and as I've said many times, the atmospheric sludge metal genre is not my forte and I think I would've given it a 2 star as it really was the most boring in the challenge yet that I've listened to. However, I am very glad I stuck with it and gave the second half my full attention.

Wings of Lead Over Dormant Seas the track is solid as hell. It's atmospheric, and while it is an hour long it doesn't feel like it. The sludge elements are muted and the drone takes over. However, I usually think of drone to be slower and heavier and this isn't quite that. This isn't a stoner metal song, but I couldn't help but get some Sleep vibes off of it from it's long drawn out sequences with repetitive melodies that never really get old and you really could just take a big bong hit and live in the moment. On that note, I really think if I tried that one first half of this album I would be taken so far out of it that my anxieties would take over but not here in this title track. It never goes to a dull moment, but also never really tries to hype itself up at all here where I don't think there's any harsh vocals at all. There is a bit of vocals throughout, mainly at the beginning and end of the track in a very emotional poem that is beyond my understanding even looking and reading the lyrics myself I still don't quiet follow. (Though I'm not great at understanding poems unless they are really face value). It's hauntingly beautiful and would recommend. But really only the title track, and not the rest of this album. 2 hours is way too long anyway, if you do listen to this you should break it up in 2 halves to better let it sit with you. I tried multiple times but could not do a single full listen, but I can listen to this song all the way through and enjoy it.