### Memory Garden: Carnage carnival

#### 06/11/08 || Euthanatos

Although I hadn’t actually heard of Memory Garden before, it comes as no surprise that they play a doomish heavy metal. After all, they feature in their ranks former members of Memento Mori and Abstrakt Algebra, two groups inherently linked to Candlemass. Alas, vocalist Stefan Berglund is no Messiah Marcolin or Mats Levén, which is a shame. The world could use more vocalists like those two. If only this was Memory Garden’s sole problem, the lack of strong and characteristic vocals. After all, when playing this type of slower metal, you really need powerful pipes guiding the songs. But I don’t think it would have made much difference, because the songs themselves are pretty lackluster. Not that they are completely shitty, “The Bitter End”, for example, is a very decent track, and would be killer if the guitars had more impact on the production.

“Beggar’s Anthem” is another track that would greatly deserve more heaviness in the overall sound, as there are good ideas which immediately reminded me of Krux. But overall, nothing stands out much, things tend to get repetitive. A lot.

So while Memory Garden does have the chops to deliver decent stuff, they are somewhat lacking in the creativity department, with only an occasional lapse of brilliance. And, unfortunately, even those good moments are spoiled because of a gay production. If you’re sorely in need of an old-school doom/heavy metal fix, maybe this will appeal to you if you can’t stand listening to the classics or Solitude Aeternus anymore. If not, yeah, then stick to the classics.

The cover: A psycho clown, much like the one from “It”, with another clown’s head in a box. Man, clowns are freaky things.

4 Stefans couldn’t make this sound good out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Vic Records
- Website: www.memorygarden.net
- Band
- Stefan Berglund: vocals
- Simon Johansson: guitars
- Johan Fredrikson: bass
- Tom Björn Johansson: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Carnage Carnival
- 02. The Bitter End
- 03. Nameless
- 04. The Beast Within
- 05. Beggar’s Anthem
- 06. A Dark Embrace
- 07. Dominion
- 08. Endless Fear
- 09. Another Night
- 10. The Downfall