I've been hearing a lot of negative talk about this CD, and for me that just feeds my desire to hear an album. Now upon hearing the first track it's more than evident this is not the same Paramaecium sound we are used to. Is that a bad thing? HECK NO!
All buzz is right, the sound is a more polished sound, and yes to some extent I feel that does take away from the doomy style the band has become known for. Never the less I indeed am a fan of Ian Arkley going back to the days of Seventh Angel. I feel Ian is a welcomed addition to the band, and his work is nothing short of exhilarating . For me it's like taking a killer band like Extol from the Northern Lights days and adding a really talented guitarist like Ole to add the melodies of his Schaliach days. We got a good mix out of that one, and I feel this one is a good mix too.
No this is not a repeat of the energy from Within the Ancient Forest, or Exhumed of the Earth, it is its own incarnation of Paramaecium. Distinct new flavor, but still distinctively still Paramaecium.
So should you shell out your hard earned cash on this CD? Maybe not. I enjoyed it a great deal, but the serious death tones of the music are changed radically. This one is for those of you who are looking for a more atmospheric doom approach with flutes, violins, and lots of soprano female vocals.
7/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #79Reviewed by Doug Van PeltIt's been way too long for another release from these guys. The new news on this release is that Jayson Sherlocke is not drumming here (Mark Orr is) and ex-Seventh Angel guitarist Ian Arkley played the guitars and co-wrote much of the material. The doom sound is still prominent here and much of the material is slow, but Ian's presence is definitely felt in faster tunes, like, "I'm Not To Blame,"…Dead Zine 1999Reviewed by FletchThe name of this cd suits it well. Mourning is exactly what I wanted to do after listening to it. I was let down hard by Paramaecium. Paramaecium has always been a personal favorite, even when my personal taste in music changed from a total metal head to a loveable hardcore kid. I love Within the Ancient Forest and Exhumed of the Earth. A Time to Mourn just does not demand the same amount of awe…Similar sounding releases
1998VisionaireMystical Dominion
2003ZaoLegendary
2001MortificationThe Silver Cord Is Severed
1999Eternal DecisionGhost in the Machine
2003A Jealousy IssueIf The Flames Don't Kill Us, We Will
1994GodfleshSelflessMore from Paramaecium
2004Echoes From The Ground
1996Within the Ancient Forest
1997Repentance
1993Exhumed of the Earth
1991Silent Carnage
