Having been around since 2013, Enshine takes its craft further with the newest album “Elevation”. And while the songwriting here overall differs from that of the band Slumber, the eight tracks are nothing short of spectacular; the lead guitars are melancholic, and they have their own catchy gothic doom atmosphere, which adds to the excellent growling of Sebastien Pierre. “Elevation” steers between melodic and melancholic modern doom and death metal, and this is only a summary of what you can expect on the opening song “Shimmering”.

The growling on the album reminds me of bands like Graveworm, Theatre of Tragedy, and Swallow the Sun, as the atmosphere is the essence of this beautiful album. “Heartbliss” struck me with the elegant guitars, and especially the cold, morose growling, improvising the rich guitar lines. The keyboards create beautiful textures to the songs when combined with the guitar solos, making it more melodic and catchy.

My favorite track on this album is “Where the Sunrise is felt” which features high shrieking, but the real icing on the cake is the intricate work of the guitars. The growls, however, are melodramatic, echoing the gothic aura flair of the 90s era.

As with the melancholic theme of the music, Enshine combines atmospheric and rich soundscapes to make it the main focus, providing a feeling of sadness and loss. The slower moments unfold on “Distant Glow”, where the drums keep the pace with the ethereal atmosphere; the guitar work on this instrumental track is catchy with booming heaviness and wonderful melodies. The same can be said of songs like “The Moment”, which flows in like a reverie, yet the guitar leads are reminiscent of Insomnium and Katatonia.

There is a dramatic quality allowing every song to shine through dreamy musical landscapes. The album carries an emotional weight due to its uplifting melodies and atmospheric synths, and they are featured on each track. The album also features guest musicians Giannis Koskinas on bass guitar and Marcelo Aires on drums, who provide artistic and musical touches to the drum pacing, along with powerful bass lines on “The Purity of Madness”.

Despite the melodic scope, there is nothing groundbreaking; what keeps the music melodic and catchy is the simplicity and the elegance. All of the tracks have a captivating gothic doom feeling and lush soundscapes that are fitting with the dreamy song structures.

“Elevation” seems poised between atmospheric mid-tempo sections riffing, while keeping the listener in a mesmerizing mood. The final two songs, “Soar to Fall” and “Reignite”, blend clean vocals and guttural growls, and the harmonized guitar emphasizes its memorable sections.

A clear standout track is the closing song, where the growls take your memory back to the long-gone gothic doom years of the 90s. The melodies resonate before the shimmering ambiance brings similarities to the likes of Swallow the Sun, as the rhythm guitar on this track makes it compelling.

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