Metal Underground.com

Serenity’s End may not exactly fit inside one specific area of metal, but it does have a very recognizable sound that takes metal down a path much more melancholy than brutal. The European sound shines through in everything the band does on “Another Day of Misery,” even when it’s shifting back and forth between influences. For a short demo from a relatively unknown group, the four tracks put on a professional show that should strongly interest anyone with a predilection for sounds that head into depressing and Gothic territory.

The term “demo” doesn’t need to scare anyone off here, as the sound quality is pretty consistently high. There are a few brief instances on the last track with a bit of fuzz, but overall, all the guitars and vocals ring out clear for the whole run time. The sound quality is a definite advantage, as most of the vocals are clean instead of growled to keep up the gloom and doom atmosphere. For the most part, the singing is exactly what anyone could want from a melodic metal act, with the only down side being a few brief attempts at distortion that aren’t pulled off perfectly.

Although the band has a large Gothic influence, it’s important to note that doesn’t mean “emo” or even necessarily full on “Goth.” The Goth elements are brought about by a symphonic and dark atmosphere, and not by an adherence to Hot Topic style posturing. The guitar work is where the bulk of the mood is created, shifting between melodic segments to acoustic parts and back into heavier sounds.

Serenity’s End may best be described as “melancholic metal.” There are tinges of the more depressing doom and rock acts to be found in the music, from Katatonia to Swallow the Sun and even a bit of Moonspell. Aspects of progressive metal, symphonic black metal, and even some death metal pop up from time to time.

“Another Day of Misery” is a great excursion into more melodic metal work, and it sticks around for just the right amount of time. That may be the band’s main downfall, however. So far Serenity’s End has only put out demos and promos, all with three to four songs apiece. It’s not clear if this same level of music could be kept for another four or six songs, or if it would get overly repetitive. Only time will answer that question, but hopefully the band at least makes the attempt so fans of Finnish melodic metal can decide the answers for themselves.