Swedish Doom has a rich catalog, and the type of Doom Metal offered by Sebastian Gustafsson and company doesn’t stray from the clichéd perfection that one could expect when making a random purchase from a well-stocked Metal exchange. Even Amazon.com could hit the nail on the head with its blanket recommendations. If you like DAYLIGHT DIES and NOVEMBERS DOOM you will like APATHY.

The vocals on “A Silent Nowhere” use a predictable blend of autumn and winter imagery. The withered, pale, ashen, grey and frozen dominate Mattias Wetterhall’s poetry, although his subjects do not suffer. Verbal loss and numbness serve as themes while his subjects accept a minimal role under the weight of the elements. Nature seems the doer, and the protagonist remains an observer. “I am without agony / Surely if I could I would walk towards / the lightning in there” states the subject of “Into The Pale,” and the music for each track conveys an unrelenting swell of tragedy to boot.

The musical driver of “A Silent Nowhere” leaves his signature on everything but the bass. Guitarist Viktor Jonas paints a depressive picture, although his programming adheres to a guitarist’s mindset and never fills the potential of what a real drummer could contribute. His riffs demonstrate a healthy Åkerfeldt influence in tone and melody, but the feel compares best with fellow Doomers. Sebastian Gustafsson demonstrates much skill with bass lines strengthen tracks like “The Man Who Swallowed The Sun” to the point that they rival any front-runners in the genre.

For a style of music that has run its course and become formulaic APATHY offer a solid and enjoyable product. “A Silent Nowhere” has a few pleasant spins but remains true to the genre and its supporters. Listeners will discover copious doses of Doom on the disc, and those looking for another safe purchase that doesn’t get too raw in emotion or sound can purchase with confidence.

(Online July 1, 2008)