The Bleak Picture â Shades of Life Review
By Maddog
Itâs been a draining year. Lacking the mental energy for new music, Iâve subsisted on a diet of ISIS and Fvneral Fvkk. Clouded by the doomy stylings of the latter, I decided to make my return to reviewing with dismal death-doom. Despite releasing their debut just last year, Finlandâs The Bleak Picture is a project of members of Autumnfall. That said, these two bands sound worlds apart, as their names betray. Abandoning the blackened scenery of Autumnfall, The Bleak Picture paints a bleak picture with melodic death-doom that reeks of Finland. Channeling the icons of sadboi history, Shades of Life is a flawed but worthwhile slab of morose doom.
You wonât find much innovation here, but The Bleak Picture has learned from the best. Blending harsh vocals and spoken word, doomy plains and deathy mountain ranges, Shades of Life consists of familiar elements. The opener âPlagued by Sorrowâ offers the listener zero seconds of respite before launching into a persistent doom riff. Melodic guitar leads steer the album along, stitching the doomy cuts together in a manner that recalls Enshine (âWithout the Iâ). Rather than slowing to a standstill, The Bleak Picture uses Insomnium riffs to push the album along without diluting its sorrow. The guitars (handled by Jussi Hänninen, along with the other instruments) are the core of Shades of Life, but Tero Ruohonenâs vocals broaden its horizons. While he largely dwells in standard harsh territory, Ruohonenâs cleans tinge the album with gothic influences, like the distorted spoken word of âAbsolution.â Indeed, sections like the straightforward rock of âWithout the Iâ recall Paradise Lost. However, lest this lengthy description fool you, Shades of Life is largely standard fare.
It feels criminal to listen to Shades of Life on a 90-degree summer day. The Bleak Picture conveys emotion through the sheer enormity of their riffs, burying the listener like an avalanche (âAbsolutionâ). Elsewhere, Shades of Life deftly intersperses these assaults with tranquility, like the transition from an explosive chorus to minimalist bass-led instrumentals on âPlagued by Sorrow.â These strengths reach their apex on the 11-minute spectacle âSilent Exit.â Evoking Swallow the Sunâs Plague of Butterflies, the track progresses through a nightmarish acoustic melody, forceful doom riffs, and girthy bass lines. Cult of Luna-style drumming leads the song into a climactic ending that raises the bar even further. Across these highlights, The Bleak Pictureâs sophomore release boasts a mature approach to songwriting.
Shades of Life still struggles to transcend its melodic death-doom formula. The albumâs biggest weakness is its monotony. In their quest for chunky riffs, The Bleak Picture tends to overuse ideas, emulating an uninspired version of Rapture (âCode of Ethicsâ). Even the albumâs best pieces sometimes fizzle out, like the abrupt ending of the otherwise-powerful âAbsolution.â Similarly, while the penultimate track âSilent Exitâ showcases the best of Shades of Life, the closer âCity of Ghostsâ settles into a low-energy doom routine that never picks up steam. Despite its apparent variety of influences, The Bleak Pictureâs by-the-book approach to death-doom doesnât always keep my interest.
An album like Shades of Life is difficult to dissect; its success hinges on the heart, not the brain. The Bleak Picture is on the right path, and tracks like âSilent Exitâ hit hard with their bulky riffwork and creative variety. But as a whole, Shades of Life isnât the gut punch Iâd hoped for. It doesnât match the raw power of Paradise Lost, the otherworldly sadness of Enshine, or the narrative prowess of Insomnium. Still, I have no regrets. There are strong whiffs of talent here, and with its mature and tempered approach to songwriting, Shades of Life is an easy, rewarding listen. Itâs worth a shot for anyone who prefers moping over sunlight.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Ardua Music
Websites: thebleakpicture.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/thebleakpicture
Releases Worldwide: June 27th, 2025
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