During the last years a pessimism was obvious in the doom metal scene. Productivity was poor, the quality of the bands was debatable and an argument with neighbor music idioms was tearing apart the fleshes of this unique music micro-world. But in the last two or three years we witness a revival of the scene, mostly because new bands entered the arena and because the community focused more on its own deeds, instead of looking at what others did. Festivals, tours, increased live activity, qualitative releases in a regular sequence; they are all fruits of this now fertile landscape.

What Doomshine has to do with this lengthy introduction? Doomshine are one of these new doom metal bands that help to revive the scene, and their debut CD is one of the year. In a perfect frame, where the production is faultless and the artwork is wonderful, Doomshine are delivering us nine songs of excellent doom metal. Doom metal, as we know it from the forefathers of the idiom, like Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Count Raven and Sorcerer. But Doomshine are acknowledging the offer of more recent bands, like their compatriots Dawn of Winter (listen for example "Light a candle for me"). The fact is that, even if these influences are present, you will not complain that this band hasn't any character. On the contrary, Doomshine is a balanced and surprisingly mature band. The songs are firm and emotionally performed (dark of course). I wouldn't like to refer to specific songs, but I would like to discern only "Shine on sad angel". Sometimes I wonder, "what if the x or the z band from the glorious past had composed this one" and I realize that we are unfair to our newcomers. Of course Doomshine and the rest bands will have to prove through consistency that they worthy of our trust. "Thy kingdoom come" is the absolute doom metal debut, but now the demands are more.