Review: “The Respite” by Resumption

Returning to the cesspool of dirty Death Doom Metal after many years spent playing in blues bands, Wilhelm Lindh (The Gardnerz, Tristitia, Pandemonium, Allamedah) started a project called Resumption. A Swedish musician who has been living in Portugal for decades, he dedicates album “The Respite” to his late father, who hated Metal music but nevertheless always supported his son’s musical efforts. The multi-instrumentalist and vocalist cites influences in the likes of Bolt Thrower, Funeral and Pyrexia while lyrically dealing with the harrowing realities of mental health and anti-religious sentiment on this one and what’s more, he’s working on putting a live band together…

Raw and ominous from the outset with “Self Reliance” captures the sound of early 90’s American Death Metal referenced in the influences perfectly. The demo like quality of the recording, which is particularly evident in the drum sound, adds that nostalgia for battle jackets and tape trading days but here’s the thing. It doesn’t take away from the quality of the musicianship and from the ethereal darkness come some leads that offer rich, sombre melody to offer an antidote to the skull splitting vocals. At points the album drifts towards Sludge Metal with the almost Crowbar like opening riff of “Don’t Come” a masterful moment, the mid tempo weighty crush of the guitars a soul stirring force. Raspy, dry throated harsh vocals feel like a warning from a Soothsayer about an ancient evil, the playful leads adding a sinister vibrancy that works well.

The main riff of “Worship” borders on post hypnotic suggesting, like a demon is trying to drag your soul down to the gates of hell as the sinister, low grooves play out. A second guitar layer to provide leads that run through the veins of the track makes all the difference, giving balance to the force of the pummelling rhythms, a fleeting blues inspired solo a masterful moment. There is a melody underneath the crushing weight of double kicks and abrasive riffs on “Leave It Alone” which rises to the surface over multiple listens because the vocals are so powerful on this one they dominate. Perhaps its the middle eastern flavours of the fleeting leads which give it a real spark but either way, its fearfully addictive in the best possible way.

Rather than merely being an interlude, title track “The Respite” is a near three minute long instrumental of classical guitars with Spanish flair that feels like the first rays of sunshine after you’ve been awake all night watching over a loved one. There is a certain melancholia that runs through it, the gentle complexities of the melody a thing of dark beauty. Another glorious blues inspired almost virtuoso solo lies at the black beating heart of the crushing “Rest At Last“, the Death Doom power of this one enough to cause the ground the shake beneath the feet. The consistency of this burnt offering is second to none, all the songs flowing like a black tar river down a mountainside with consummate ease, the musicianship and song writing capabilities of Wilhelm Lindh impressive to say the least.

A song with a little more Doom orientation to it “Invest In Yourself” has a bass solo alongside the churn and burn riffs, the low gravelly vocals like a sandblasting for the ear drums. You might not think it at the time but the hum-able main riff is a real ear worm that gets inside your rotting skull and once there is damn near impossible to get out. As with a good number of these tracks “Some Things Are Too Broken” has a life lesson learned from bitter experience in its lyrical narrative, the cut another powerful dose of reality laced in an undeniably groovy riff. As with the others you can feel this one in your guts, the cold hard truth being that sometimes you have to step back and realise the struggle is futile. Life can be morbid and miserable but when you’ve got riffs like the one that runs through “Everyone Rots Away“, it’s medication that takes the edge off and numbs the pain. There is a bit of Hardcore Punk to it and the fleeting solo is sheer class, the melody in the final third nothing short of soul stirring. Don’t sleep on this, you’ll regret it [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Self Reliance
2. Don’t Come
3. Worship
4. Leave It Alone
5. The Respite – Instrumental
6. Rest At Last
7. Invest In Yourself
8. Some Things Are Too Broken
9. Everyone Rots Away

“The Respite” by Resumption is out 17th April 2026