Hailing from the ancient lands of France comes Solstitium, a young act working a strain of moody, crushing death/doom akin to early Paradise Lost mixed with Abhorrence on their debut album, Morgoth. Far from being just another clone act, these lads inject some traditional sensibilities into this concoction to make a sound that balances grim moods and downtuned crushing to create a familiar yet distinct identity. The musicianship is tight and proficient, with the Sulphur Aeon-esque grunts of vocalist François' adding a spine-chilling menace to the proceedings while the odd clean vocals from several guests add an extra dimension to an already-encompassing sound, and it's all wrapped in a dense, professional production that makes the music strike like a spear through the heart of the enemies of the dark lord Morgoth. An impressive debut sure to drag you into the realms beyond twilight.