UMUR Hope Dies is the debut full-length studio album by Australian black metal act Misery´s Omen. The album was released in February 2008 by Worship Him Records.

The basis in the music on this album is black metal, but calling this a regular black metal album would be anything but fair. There are both doomy sections, progressive/ experimental sections, mellow folk sections, beautiful acoustic sections and even a track that sounds like Sigh has been invived into the studio. I´m of course thinking of the handclap section in Fiendish Ghoul. I can´t help thinking about Sigh every time I hear that track. The heavy doomy parts of the album remind me of Dance of December Souls (1993) by Katatonia. The opening title track is probably the best example of that part of Misery´s Omen´s sound but also a track like A Cobbled Path. The album is generally very melodic and some parts make me think of Dissection. But then a track like the chaotic and at times even technical And the Stars Bled really confuse me. This is truly an eclectic metal album. This might be a problem for some people but even though the album is very eclectic in nature it´s thankfully also very consistent, which means that even though the songs vary in style you´re never in doubt that it´s the same band that wrote the songs. I find the adventurous approach to songwriting a real treat.

The band is a three-piece but guitarist/ vocalist Arganoth Doom often plays harmonies. The musicianship is excellent on the album and I´d like to give a special mention to bassist D.E.M.O.N.. His playing on Hope Dies is varied, melodic and quite adventurous. It´s seldom you´ll hear bass being such a vital part of a black metal band´s sound.

The production is powerful and raw ( not lo-fi) but especially the bass gives the sound a lot of warmth and earthy atmosphere. All in all the album is very well produced.

Hope Dies has been a very positive surprise for me and I can highly recommend the album to fans of progressive and adventurous black metal with a doomy edge. A 4 star rating is fully deserved.