Metal
From the heart of Castile comes the new record by the duo TodoMal, which is really quite good. Javier Fernández (guitars, bass, keyboards and drums) and Christopher B. Windman (vocals, guitars and keyboards) earned good reviews for their debut album, “Ultracrepidarian” (2021). And this “A Greater Good” will surely earn its share too.
We could define them as an epic-doom project, but with a softer, more sophisticated edge, and not quite as metal. So if you had a blast with Candlemas or Solitude Aeternus, you’ll enjoy this a lot. Our problem will be writing this review without using the word “epic”.
As you’d expect, with a slow tempo and harmonies carrying a certain grandeur, the introduction to “Silent Mass” already lays down the fundamental building blocks the whole record will be built on. The voice’s entrance, alternating with the main melody that never really disappeared, since the bass kept holding it, sets up the first dynamics. These take turns holding the spotlight throughout the composition, until reaching the backing vocals and guitar solo, growing more solemn all the way to the final fade.
“High Time” opens with whispers accompanied by monastic bells. Its organ-emulating keyboard is the prelude to new, almost pompous harmonies. The vocal melodies are gentler than on the previous track, the start-stop trick is even more pronounced, and lovely dynamics arrive, especially through some beautiful filtered-piano phrases.
And with a title like “Infero Triste”, you already know more or less where things are headed. An introduction with an almost demonic atmosphere gives way to the opening verses, propped up by a wall of keyboards. The addition of acoustic guitars in the chorus wisely pulls it away from the dark line they had been following. But for those craving darkness, don’t worry — they bring it right back soon enough.
The transitional track “Ultima Lucerna” gives us a breather. A lo-fi piano and lyrical female backing vocals, mixed with storm effects, make up this passage. Very well judged and handled, since with all these elements, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you risk pulling off something unintentionally comic. But none of that here — conceptually, we can call this a success.
And after some introductory atmospheres, “Dust and Nothingness” unfolds, with an opening vocal line carrying a certain Gregorian-chant flavour. We continue with the genre’s principles, and fans of it have here a soft, subtle, well-crafted melodic track. Worth highlighting is the ending, deliberately left with an unresolved feel that suits it well.
Certainly, if you want something upbeat and furious, this won’t be the record for you. “Antichrist of Love” continues down the path of slow tempos, restrained fury, and a balance between guitars and the aforementioned wall of keyboards.
Teda Gosheva’s beautiful voice gives us a great surprise on “Loss”. A great production choice to break up the record’s overall atmosphere. As is building the track around acoustic guitars as its connecting thread, which, despite being a departure, stays true to TodoMal’s essence.
To close out the album, we get “A Greater Good”, continuing with an enriching combination of acoustic and classical guitars, soft keyboards and stirring vocals, contrasting with the guitar’s epic entrance (oh, I said it in the end). We could even venture to say the spectacular closing coda is more fitting of progressive rock. An excellent finale.
If you’re a fan of this style, just like TodoMal’s two members clearly are, you’ll find a record that honours it, made with great taste and knowledge. After listening, drop by their social channels and support them.
Writer: David Sàez