Style: Progressive metal, gothic metal (Mixed, mostly clean)
Recommended for fans of: Katatonia, Soen, Evergrey
Country: Italy
Release date: 16 January 2026

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If heavily atmospheric and textural musical soundscapes stoke the fire in your heart; if you feel that the no-holds-barred, virtuosic-technical-proficiency of what springs into the minds of most people when they hear the term ‘progressive metal’ takes a backseat to narrative and emotionally-charged storytelling; and if conceptual musical works about famously troubled, Dutch post-impressionist painters are something you’re passionate about, then have I got an album for you. From the seven hills of the Eternal City, For My Demons’ newest release Tristesse (lit. “sorrow”) explores the troubled life of the eminent Vincent Van Gogh. Far from a vaunting display of instrumental flourishes, Van Gogh’s human and artistic experience is explored instead through the lens of the Roman quartet’s distinct blend of dark, melancholic progressive metal. 

Tristesse evolves gradually, unfolding with inevitability and purpose; it’s powerful and understated, the tracks ebbing and flowing like waves breaking on a shore. Quiet verses evolve into loud refrains, and guitars open up into a distortion that’s more atmospheric than aggressive—dense and crackling but strangely tender. The record carries on deeper into introspection—For My Demons value atmosphere as much as complexity, drawing the listener into contemplative spaces, then building to a great crescendo. Tristesse is also a very vocal-centric, narrative performance, and the other instruments often serve just to make space for vocalist Gabriele Palmieri, whose rich, warm and versatile timbre colours each phrase with a measured, emotional delivery. A suitable stylistic choice for the subject matter, For My Demons does an excellent job at establishing mood with the intimate character of their songwriting. 

Tristesse doesn’t shy away from heavy moments, though, and some of the passages on the album even evoke a decidedly Haken or Dream Theater sensibility without ever crossing the line into the latter’s complicated musical meandering. These are the moments like the lead-in to the last verse of “Paint My Dreams” (their ode to Van Gogh’s most popular work, “Starry Night”), or the first half of “The Other Side of Heaven” where the thick chords and angular riffs play with curious timings and modulated feel—but these passages can’t always keep the arrangements from becoming too swept up in their brooding despair. Indeed, For My Demons’ gothic/doom influences are undeniable here, adding a complementary shade to their prog metal palette. These more restrained, melodic and plaintive moments, found on tracks like “Sadness Will Last Forever” or “Wonderful”, echo bands like Katatonia or Anubis Gate, with an air of gloom that doesn’t immediately move to resolution, instead lingering and insisting on you to feel its woe. Poignant, yes, but perhaps lingering a touch too long.

The production on Tristesse is primarily evocative and doesn’t focus so much on crystal-clear delineation of elements; although the mix has great instrument separation, it also tends toward expressive effect, letting them combine together to create more of a texture, like an impasto, where sounds stand out in the mix like paint collecting on a canvas. Once in a while, guitarist Francesco La Dolcetta’s riffs are allowed to scream, briefly, as if to make a point, and just as quickly disappear into shimmery clean tones, almost crushed by the emotions that birthed them. The synths, not simply playing with melody so much as adding thickness around the guitars, breathe between riffs like connective tissue; the low-end interplay between Giovanni Masotti’s heavy use of toms and Andrea Terzulli’s intricate bass lines emphasize form and rhythm, providing less of an accompaniment and more of a heartbeat. A very humanist production for a very human album. As well, I said before that the guitars add a very strong element of atmosphere rather than aggression, and this is true throughout—but in the moments where the guitars are allowed to be in the front, during dynamic riffs or staccato chords, they are driving and deliberate, with a mid-heavy crunch that does well not to get lost in the brushstrokes.

Even though I’ve never paid much mind to the life of Van Gogh—not being myself a painter—with Tristesse, For My Demons make a great case for a good read up on the life of this tragic figure. More than just a paint-by-numbers, this album is a thoughtful and reflective work, and its structure feels organic. I do think some of the tracks have a tendency to dawdle; when we hear the umpteenth transition from heavy to soft and back again, the track listing might start to blend together a little, and For My Demons could stand to refine their underpainting for the next piece. Still, I’m not one to miss the canvas for the strokes: Tristesse is a noteworthy performance; at once grieving and celebrating, both elegy and eulogy. Don’t brush this one aside.

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Recommended tracks: Paint My Dreams, 9 Weeks, The Other Side of Heaven
You may also like: The Moor, Inner Vitriol, Anubis Gate
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Volcano Records

For My Demons is:
– Gabriele Palmieri (vocals)
– Andrea Terzulli (bass)
– Francesco La Dolcetta (guitars)
– Giovanni Masotti (drums)