Starer "Wind, Breeze, or Breath"

    The one-man atmospheric black act Starer continues to impress with each new release by offering listeners an unbelievably profound listening experience. Starer’s third full-length album, “Wind, Breeze, or Breath,” is a thrilling exploration through grandiose atmospheric landscapes featuring some blistering black metal elements to create a fascinating sonic realm. 

    The album’s cinematic like presentation makes this a truly unique release where the music engulfs you with a plethora of sounds and emotions. Josh Hines, the mastermind behind Starer, is also involved in a variety of different projects and I’ve always felt that his approach to composing music is very dynamic. The guitar playing on this album is probably one of the strongest aspects of the entire album, and I like how he creates such simple yet monumental sounding riffs. Even though he does not baffle listeners with scale shredding lead parts, nor does he attempt to throw around whacky time signatures, the riffs on this album conjure up plenty of raw energy to add to the colossal sounding atmospheres. 

    This is definitely an album in which selecting a favorite track will be extremely difficult, because the music flows with a noticeably strong synergy. The first song on the album, “Drifting,” begins without any hesitation and feverishly jumps into a blizzard of aggressive black metal style riffs along with these epic sounding keyboard parts. Everything seems to be come at you all at once, although there are moments where the tempo slows down for a bit, but then suddenly picks up the pace to drag you right back into a distorted firestorm. After that first song I knew from the adrenaline pumping arrangements to the vivid sounding musical landscapes that the music was going to be moving into an even more grandiose sounding direction compared to previous releases. The album’s second track, “Crossing,” continues to hammer out more intense chord progressions and symphonic atmospheric elements. Also, Josh’s vocals are very impressive throughout the song as well as entire album. His harsh black metal vocal style really compliments the instrumental arrangements by emphasizing the album's unapologetic and raw emotional sound. 

    Atmospheric black metal acts like Starer definitely demonstrate certain characteristics that I think allows for the music to travel beyond the confines of what people think of extreme metal music. For example, the keyboard part during the intro to the song, “Witnessing,” caught my attention and I enjoyed how the notes created this spectral void like soundscape which reminded me of what you might hear from bands like Woods of Desolation and Earthshine. The balance of harsh black metal riffs and captivating atmospheric noises is something that I think makes this album very special, which I do believe can appeal to a wide range of music fans. 

    My overall thoughts about Starer’s new full-length album, “Wind, Breeze, or Breath,” should not come as a surprise given what I have already written throughout this review. Josh Hines is an impressive songwriter and composer who I think understands how to put together compelling sounding album. At the end of the day, Starer continues to get even better with each new release, and I can tell you that there is genuine passion and determination fueling each new recording from this act. I highly recommend this new album as well as past Starer releases, because the more people we get to listen to this music, the less likely society will become brainwashed by crappy artists like Maroon 5. 

Starer Bandcamp (Album comes out July 28th):

https://starer.bandcamp.com/

Lustre “Reverence”

    The undeniably extraordinary one-man atmospheric/ambient black metal act, Lustre, allows listeners the opportunity to enter into a monumental sounding atmospheric realm with the release of the new digital EP titled, “Reverence.” After the Swedish based artist known as, Nachtzeit, graced us with a phenomenal full-length Lustre album last year called, “A Thirst for Summer Rain,” he has returned with more breath taking arrangements and haunting atmospheric musical landscapes. 

    Compared to, “A Thirst for Summer Rain,” this new digital EP explores different sounding elements that reminded of earlier Lustre recordings where the music is shrouded in a veil of tranquil darkness, while also giving off a very melancholy tone at times. The music freely flows through these forlorn sounding realms accompanied by some solemn yet extremely soothing melodies. I felt as though there was a tremendous amount of emphasis placed on the keyboard arrangements. Also, the track establishes a more celestially ambient feel at times compared to previous Lustre albums such as “Wonder” and “A Thirst For Summer Rain,” that seem to reflect and focus on ideas surrounding nature. The vocals provided by J.J. from Harakiri for the Sky add a unique touch to the overall composition, which definitely compliments the song’s spectral sounding tone. 

    This track reminded me a bit of past Lustre song’s such as, “Echoes of Transcendence” and “Lunar Light,” where the keyboard parts start off sounding very faint and distant, but eventually become more prominent as the music evolves. Once again, Nachtzeit is a brilliant composer and truly one of the most gifted minds in the world of atmospheric and ambient music. He really understands how to capture the listener’s attention by composing such immense as well as compelling soundscapes. Where some artists in this world get lost in a sea of generic and forgettable compositions, Nachtzeit is able to incorporate a plethora of creative ideas while keeping you engaged for the full twenty minutes during the song. 

    Overall, “Reverence,” is something that I would highly recommend checking out if you are a fan of Lustre and atmospheric black metal in general. For many years Lustre has gained constant recognition and praise from the atmospheric/ambient black metal community for the sheer amount of exceptional recordings. When you listen to a track from Lustre, you truly become possessed by the colossal sounding wave of raw distortion along with the gracefully dynamic keyboard compositions. If you’re ever looking for music to comfort you and to help you forget about all the chaos of everyday life, then any recording from Lustre is always a perfect choice. 

Check out the song "Reverence" below:

Lustre Bandcamp:

https://lustre.bandcamp.com/album/reverence

Woods of Desolation "The Falling Tide"

    The last full-length album from Woods of Desolation came out in 2014, and even though fans had to wait 8 years for a new album it seems like the wait was well worth it. Titled, “The Falling Tide,” the album reunites listeners with Woods of Desolation’s cold and somber atmospheric mixed with post-black metal sounds. 

    The Australian one-man act has garnered a strong following over the years and the band's previous albums have been mostly well received by fans and critics alike. Over the years a fair amount of bands have definitely come across as Woods of Desolation fans, so much that you feel as though what made Woods of Desolation stand out has become suffocated by the endless clones. However, even when dealing with a growing number of post-black metal/atmospheric black metal bands, you can always differentiate between the skilled musicians and the generic sloppy amateurs. 

    Whenever an album hooks you instantly once you start listen to it and causes you to drop everything around you like your work or your first born child, then you know that there is something special going on. Once I heard the first track, “Far From Here,” with its heavenly opening guitar arrangement, I was definitely drawn into the mesmerizing musical landscape. The intense wave of tremolo picking matched with the thunderous drum arrangements washes over you like a monstrous tidal wave. Also, I was impressed by the vocal delivery during song which added to the rollercoaster of raw emotion. 

    Following that first song, the music continues to flow with a profound synergy and even though in the past I have not been the biggest fan of post-black metal, I truly believe that Woods of Desolation’s sound and overall approach to recording is very refreshing to hear. For example, “Beneath a Sea of Stars,” is not overly technical, yet at the same time the music is not painfully repetitive. The instrumental arrangements conjure up this storm of blistering distortion, while also providing comfort in the gloomy shroud of overwhelming darkness. During the track, “Illumination,” I could hear on full display the artist pouring a substantial amount of energy into the composition, thus giving the track a certain surreal feeling as though you are standing upon a cliff gazing out amongst the ocean as the sun begins to rise. 

    In the end, Woods of Desolation proves to be a powerful creative force with the release of, “The Falling Tide.” I would say that this is an album which completely caught me off guard and was probably one of the strongest recordings I have heard this year. Even though I am not a post-black metal fanatic, I cannot ignore the quality and artistic creativity that went into the making of this album. Conceptually this album is a perfect example of how to compose a release which can hook the listener right away and keep them engaged until the very end. To me, a lot of bands can learn something from how this release was recorded, which is why I highly recommend checking it out. 

Check out the song "The Falling Tide" below :

Woods of Desolation Bandcamp:

https://woodsofdesolation.bandcamp.com/album/the-falling-tide

Lustre "A Thirst for Summer Rain"

    In the world of atmospheric black metal and ambient music, there is one artist who has become almost synonymous when referencing this particular style of music. Lustre’s impact and influence amongst the atmospheric black metal community is truly astonishing. Nachtzeit, the musical mastermind behind Lustre, has continued to display exceptional creativity with each release. This new Lustre release titled, “A Thirst for Summer Rain,” is yet another majestic and captivating offering of atmospheric black metal, yet ascends to even greater sounding heights. 

    Ever since the early days of Lustre, people have come to respect Nachzeit’s passionate drive and brilliant work ethic. I think what makes this new album so unique and profound is due to the collaboration between Nachtzeit and Buster Odeholm. In my opinion, Buster’s mixing and mastering skills perfectly capture Nachtzeit’s vision and the arrangements flow with such mesmerizing elegance. The melodies are almost bewitching at times as the notes guide you across this monumental sounding lush musical realm. 

    Even though the album on features four tracks, one must realize that Lustre is more about quality than quantity. Also, each song averages around eight minutes, so within that amount of time you are presented with a plethora of breathtaking arrangements. On the first track, “Quiescence,” the sounds of the opening melody are very vibrant and move with a graceful synergy. Just like with past Lustre releases, the triumphant nature of the music creates an unbelievable tale without using any lyrics. Each note, each melody and each burst of distortion, all comes together to allow the listener the opportunity to let their imagination wonder amongst the epic atmospheric landscape. 

    Track number two, “Faith,” is yet another splendid sounding piece of music featuring spectacular examples of how to incorporate dynamic structures and a variety of tempos. A specific example would be the ending piano part which I felt did a great job wrapping up the track by bringing you down after the more grandiose sounding arrangements during the beginning of the song. Actually, track number three, “Thirst,” might be one of the more bombastic sounding pieces on the album, especially the way the drum and guitar parts build up this tidal wave of thunderous noise that eventually fades away to setup some more harmonious keyboard melodies. 

    On the final song off of the album, “Alleviation,” I thought Nachtzeit did very impressive job wrapping up the album, while also finding a way to bring back and tie together some of the instrumental themes heard on the pervious tracks. What stood out the most to me during the song was when I heard the sounds of rain coming down, because the way that the noises were woven into the music was perfectly executed. Lustre’s music has always drawn influence from the world of nature, which is why at times the music makes you feel as though you are traveling across a world untouched by modern construction and mass development. 

    As much as I have enjoyed past releases from Lustre, I have to admit that the approach and overall sound on this release was without question taken to an even greater level. “Wonder,” is still my favorite album from Lustre and probably one of my all-time favorite releases, however, in time I believe, “A Thirst For Summer Rain,” might be an album that fans hold in high regard as well. If you are looking for an amazing atmospheric black metal album to check out, then this album is a must listen. Just like refreshing rain after months of abysmal heat, Lustre provides us with some atmospheric black metal salvation to relax our minds and escape the harsh confines of this hectic modern world. 

Check out the full album below:

Lustre Bandcamp:

https://lustre.bandcamp.com/album/a-thirst-for-summer-rain

Nordvis Records Website:

https://www.nordvis.com/

Starer "Remorse Defines Me"

    Even though this new release from Starer only features three tracks, there is still plenty to take away from the immense sounding landscapes and captivating atmospheric elements. “Remorse Defines Me,” is another strong offering from this one-man atmospheric black metal project that has continued to demonstrate a passionate drive for composing majestic and haunting sounding pieces of music. 

    Starer’s approach on this EP is very similar to previous releases with its mixture of harsh sounding black metal and mesmerizing atmospheric touches. I would say that there is a balance of heaviness and melody, which I believe allows the listener to be lulled away into this fascinating world of endless possibilities. On each track you are able to hear an artist transcending the norms of what most people have come to expect from extreme music, however the experimentation is not done in a halfhearted manner and the music has the ability to appeal to wide range of music fans. 

    The first track, “Five Minutes Before Dawn,” is a great example of how Starer blends together these melancholy atmospheric keyboard arrangements with very harsh sounding chord progressions. As the distortion rings out over the haunting landscape, the vocals provide an even darker touch of chaotic ambience that continues to evolve with such sinister grace. At times the transitions can sound a bit choppy, but for the most part you feel as if the music is very compelling and the overall sound takes on this cinematic like vibe. 

     The second song on the EP, “Coiled Around the Sun,” picks up where the first track left off, but I felt as though that the guitar parts on this track conveyed a more aggressive sounding tone. Also, the fearsome sounding arrangement towards the end of the song definitely grabbed my attention as the music continued to march onwards with a thunderous edge. The last song on the EP, “The Flickering,” is an extremely emotionally charged piece of music with a  monumental rush of raw sounding atmospheric black metal. I thought that the layering of the keyboards was executed extreme well, especially in terms of how the keyboards complimented the guitar effects used in certain riff sections. 

    Anyone who is a fan of atmospheric black metal should check out this new EP by Starer, because the quality of the compositions and the intense emotional joyride on each track is rather impressive. Listeners will discover that once you start listening to this EP, you really do not wish to tear yourself away until the very end. I have always felt that when it comes to atmospheric black, artists should never settle for subpar sounding arrangements. So many musicians fail to recognize this and end up writing forgettable material. I believe that with each new release Starer continues to explore the thresholds of extreme musical creativity, and the dedication to writing dynamic sounding compositions really makes each new release worth checking out. 

Check out the song "Five Minutes Before Dawn" : 

Album comes out September 2nd and is available through Snow Wolf Records:

https://snowwolfrecords.bandcamp.com/

Glyph "Remind Us of the Sun"

    Emerging from some frozen dominion surround by infinite darkness, Glyph has finally decided to unleash their debut full-length album upon the metal world. “Remind Us of the Sun,” is a raw black metal release that journeys into insidious sounding musical realms shrouded in a suffocating mist of distorted chaos. 

    Not much is known about this artist, which I find adds to the album’s mystique and establishes this haunting presence which can be felt throughout the release. I’ve reviewed a couple Glyph demos before receiving this promo, however this full-length album seems to build off of the previous releases in terms of recording quality and overall production. The riffs on this album are extremely chaotic sounding and go against what one might expect from a typical black metal band by experimenting with different tempos and creating very unorthodox sounding atmospheres.

    The album’s opening track, “Of the Cinders,” begins with a very hypnotic sounding composition which transitions into a more blizzard like black metal approach. This artist is extremely open to altering tempos and messing around with dissonant chord progressions. As much as I enjoy the dynamic style at times, there are moments on this album where I felt a bit overwhelmed as though the direction of the music was going off of the path, but for the most part the music grasps you with a wicked sounding confidence. Tracks like, “Lost Beyond Time” and “Who Lies Dormant,” are a couple of songs that really stood out when listening to the album, especially when pertaining to the music’s overall malevolent sounding tone. Although the production quality on this album might not meet the standards of some black metal purists, I personally felt as though Glyph captures the dark and ominous energy quite well. 

    Towards the end of the album I felt as though the arrangements continued to provide that classic raw black metal sound, as well as the atmospheres expanding into directions that bring hope for more exploration on future releases. The song that stole the show for me was, “Relics of the Precursors,” which I thought was a manifestation of classic sounding black metal with some subtle touches of atmospheric black metal elements as well. Glyph’s ability to record harsh compositions with some slight catchy and mesmerizing atmospheric elements is what I believe will allow this artist to really standout amongst the other modern black metal artists. 

    “Remind Us of the Sun,” is an album that does stay true to what black metal fans have come to expect from artists who play this style of music, however, I find when listening closely that Glyph has a tremendous amount of potential that will hopefully be utilized on future releases. I look forward to what Glyph has to offer in the future, although I highly recommend people check out, "Remind Us of the Sun," as this type of music definitely captures the unforgiving and sinister essence of black metal. 

Link to Glyph Bandcamp (Album comes out February 18th, 2022) :

https://keeperoftheglyph.bandcamp.com/album/remind-us-of-the-sun

Starer "18º Below the Horizon"

    Starer’s debut album is a majestic journey across a vast uncharted landscape filled with the breathtaking sounds of symphonic atmospheric black metal. "18º Below the Horizon,” is an extremely cinematic sounding release that is constructed in such a compelling fashion that keeps you fully engaged right from the first track. 

    The artist behind this one-man solo project really takes atmospheric black metal and forms his own unique vision. I find the massive sounding arrangements and haunting symphonic elements create a profound sounding world wrapped in a blanket of comforting darkness. The production quality is also very impressive, especially when pertaining to the guitar parts and how the notes ring out in a triumphant manner. When listening to the compositions of this album I noticed that the music flows with great synergy, while also exploring a variety of different tempo changes and structural changes.  

    Out of the six tracks featured on this album, I definitely believe listeners are going to find little to criticize and instead will be intently listening to the epic symphonic elements that drive the artist’s musical vision. The opening song for example, “First Morning Light,” is composed extremely well and music evolves with such haunting grace. You feel overwhelmed by this massive rush of emotionally driven sounding symphonic sounds, but those elements never sound gimmicky, or cheaply thrown together. Also, the guitar riffs construct these mesmerizing mountains of raw sounding distortion to help strengthen the tormented vocal parts. I thought the opening song alone was a tremendous piece of music and built up an even greater level of anticipation for the next song.

    Track number two, “Dayspring,” begins with a more intense black metal style by throwing you into a blizzard full of ear shattering blast beats and grim sounding guitar riffs. In the background you hear the cinematic elements provide a harmonious touch to deviate from the more fearsome sounding instrumental compositions. On the third song, “Son of the Fire,” there seems to be more catchy sounding riffs thrown into the symphonic mix and you can definitely hear some influence from the band Emperor at times during the song. The song also happens to be the longest track off of the album, so the artist is allowed plenty of time to experiment and guide you through this void like dimension of cosmic terror.  

    The last three songs, “Umbra,” “Vessel” and “Uncovering,” are solid pieces of music and do not stray too far from what was presented on the first half of the album. You hear what seems to be an endless amount of dynamic black metal arrangements that build these monumental sounding landscapes. “Uncovering,” was probably my favorite song out of the three, because the guitar parts were unpredictable and created this climate of blackened sounding entropy. 

    In conclusion, I cannot find too much to complain about here, especially considering how well the artist constructed this album from beginning to end. Also, the album never sounded sloppy which is primarily due to the solid production and musicianship. If people are tired of hearing black metal albums that end up sound like Darkthrone light, or are made by people who care more about their image instead of their musical talent, then you definitely need to give Starer’s, “18º Below the Horizon,” a listen. 

Check out the song "Dayspring" below:

Starer Bandcamp:

https://starer.bandcamp.com/album/18-below-the-horizon

Decoherence "Ekpyrosis"

    Creeping through the cosmos in a destructive and ominous manner, Decoherence is an act capable of conjuring up some catastrophic recordings. Their debut album, “Ekpyrosis,” is an unapologetic blackened assault pulling listeners into a void with terrifying disoriented twists and turns that leaves you floating through realms of mind bending dimensional horror.

    After working with Sentient Ruin earlier this year for the release of their self-titled 7” EP, the band is teaming up with the label yet again to release their monstrous debut album. The band’s unconventional style of songwriting and chaotic sounding musical landscapes allows them to step away from your typical extreme metal acts. Decoherence is another example of Sentient Ruin finding a band that does not look to be a straightforward cookie-cutter metal band.

    The opening track, “Rearrangement Collisions,” is a gritty explosion of scorching guitar work accompanied by tormented unworldly sounding growls. You feel as though the drums and guitar parts collide to create a dark cluster of utter doom and despair. The overall atmosphere is a behemoth slab of malevolent sounds that spreads a blanket of unfathomable darkness. During the second track, “Primordial Replicator,” the band unveils a more punishing style of blackened aggression where the guitars seem to be ripping through the other instruments in a merciless frenzy.

    I found the third song, “Collapse,” to be less abrasive and more ambient than the first couple songs. The song’s distorted atmosphere is recorded in such a way that makes you feel like all light around you is being swallowed up into a dark oblivion. Track number four, “Vestiges of an End,” begins with a grim sort of tone and the entire track contains these haunting sounds used to amplify the cosmic chaos which the band executes extremely well.

    The final song, “Dimensionless Angular Momentum,” combines a lot of the common musical themes heard throughout the album and the main guitar parts seem to be the driving force of this cataclysmic onslaught. As a listener you succumb to the disorder and find yourself intently listening as the band constructs these unfathomable compositions.

    I do believe that Decoherence’s, “Ekpyrosis,” is one of those releases you either find fascinating, or you are completely overwhelmed by the album’s chaotic landscapes where there is no predicable song structures. In my opinion, what makes this such an impressive release is that the band writes music without giving too much away and their approach to crafting dynamic atmospheres allows ones mind to become fully engaged. I highly recommend this release for fans of harsh sounding atmospheric entropy with enough force to inflict galactic sized destruction.

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/ekpyrosis

Sentient Ruin Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/SentientRuin/

Lustre "Another Time, Another Place (Chapter One and Two)"

    Celebrating a lustrous career of atmospheric black metal creativity, the one man band known as, Lustre, will be releasing two complication albums this coming March. Set for release on March 29th through Morrowless Music, “Another Time, Another Place (Chapter One and Two),” is an opportunity for fans to purchase some of the most immaculate recordings ever recorded by Lustre.

    The mastermind behind Lustre, Nachtzeit, continues to demonstrate his talents with each new release and over the years he has established a phenomenal discography. Lustre is a band that is highly regarded amongst the atmospheric black metal community to the where you hear quite a few bands releasing material that sounds very similar to Lustre. No matter how many come along that sound similar, at the end of the day Lustre’s music glistens in terms of sound and overall quality.

    Starting with, “Another Time, Another Place Chapter One,” the compilation features the never before released EP, “The Ardour of Autumn,” recorded in 2013 along with the band’s 2009 EP, “Welcome Winter.”  When listening to, “The Ardour of Autumn,” one can imagine themselves standing amongst a forest with yellow and orange leaves falling around them. Lustre’s music is a perfect example of taking sounds and creating these magnificent sounding atmospheres by effectively layering synth sounds to heighten certain emotions. In the background there is this faint wall of distortion which the keyboards seem to flow through and eventually develop into some strong melodic compositions.

    Another point to bring up is that the songs are not exactly short and the four tracks on this compilation average close to around ten minutes. Even with lengthy pieces of music, Lustre maintains focus by writing dynamic pieces of music that produce sounds to keep listeners intently engaged.

    The second compilation album, “Another Time, Another Place Chapter Two,” contains three tracks which are made up of the very first Lustre EP, “Serenity,” from 2008 and then, “A Spark of Times of Old,” which was originally released around 2013. I definitely find this EP to convey a more raw atmospheric black metal style. The song, “The Light of Eternity,” from the band’s debut EP, blends the harsher sounds of black metal style guitar with a mesmerizing synth melody, while the vocals cry out in agony over the instrumental arrangements.

    The next song from the first EP, “Waves of the Worn,” is a seven minute exploration through ambient sounding realms of calming synth. Wrapping up the album, “A Spark of Times of Old” is probably one of my favorite Lustre recordings and one of the band’s most ambitious pieces ever recorded. The overall production is absolutely brilliant along with the way that the song moves in such amazing synergy. You feel a sense of calmness with each sound and soon find yourself drifting away into an atmospheric world of endless wonder.

    Fans of Lustre and atmospheric black metal might want to mark their calendars, because I think these two compilations are great examples of musical genius and profound artistic expression. In a world where cheap and forgettable music is unfortunately very common, you really come to appreciate what Nachtzeit has been able to do over the years with Lustre. I hope Lustre continues to inspire artists on how they should approach their music and I hope Lustre keeps releasing new material for people to discover.



Lustre "The Ardour of Autumn" :

Morrowless Music:
https://morrowlessmusic.com/

Lustre Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lustresweden/

Summoning "With Doom We Come"

   In the world of atmospheric black, Summoning is without debate one of the most respected and important acts around. Using music to create vivid sounding landscapes that bring Middle Earth and the world of Tolkien to life, Summoning has released album after album of captivating music. “

   The band’s new album, “With Doom We Come,” is another part of Summoning’s epic journey into the world of atmospheric black metal and is an album that continues their legacy in the black metal sub-genre. The band’s first album, “Lugburz,” released in 1995 is a black metal gem and one of my favorites, however, the album is very raw and not as atmospheric as following releases. It is really not until their second album, “Minas Morgul,” that Summoning fully dives into the atmospheric black metal world and truly became an inspiration for so many bands.

   On their 8th studio album, “With Doom We Come,” Summoning continues along the path of epic cinematic sounding fantasy themed atmospheric black metal and creates a unique release that does standout from the other albums in the band’s discography. Compared to some previous albums, I feel like this new release is much more cinematic and the production goes for a very grandiose sound at times. Another area I want to focus on is the vocals and how Protector and Silenius trade of lead vocals throughout the album. I believe the vocals were something I took notice of the most when listening to this album. Although I think both singers do a solid job handling the vocal parts, I tend to prefer the songs with Silenius more than the ones with Protector.

   Out of the eight songs, you will not find any weak tracks, however, there are definitely songs I would recommend over others. The opening song, “Tar-Calion,” is a strong piece of music with thunderous war like drums to start off the album in triumphant fashion. Also, I really like how the guitar builds up this dark sounding mood that compliments the vivid cinematic like atmosphere. The next track, “Silvertine,” is a more bombastic sounding piece and the style of songwriting definitely reminds me of previous Summoning songs that have that majestic atmospheric quality.

   Tracks 3 and 4, “Carcharoth,” and “Herumor,” are two solid tracks and contain these vibrant sounds which create powerful and impressive landscapes for the vocals to narrate over. “Barrow-downs,” the fifth song on the album, is an instrumental song that creates a suspenseful mood which I could see being used to accompany a scene in a movie based on Tolkien’s writings. “Night Fell Behind,” offers a burst of guitar distortion in the beginning of the song and maintains a very consistent sounding tone. My favorite song on the album, “Mirklands,” is a dynamic song with a strong atmosphere and haunting vocals provided by Silenius. I also like how the instruments were layered and it is just a really well produced song.

   To be honest I was not completely sold with the album’s final song, “With Doom I Come,” which was actually the first single off the album. Before the album was released I heard this song and had some reservations mainly due to the vocals and instrumental structure. Now after listening to the entire album and looking at the song as the album’s outro, I understand where the band is coming from and why it is the outro. I think the choir vocals on the song are probably my favorite part and remind me of classic Summoning songs like, “Farewell” and “Land of the Dead.”

   In the end, “With Doom We Come,” is a release that I think fans of atmospheric black metal will appreciate and let their minds escape into a world of endless epic sounding compositions. Sometimes you have to not set expectations too high, which I think I did at first when I heard the first single. After listening to the entire album one cannot deny the high caliber of musicianship and songwriting skills that Summoning has to offer. Just like the one ring to rule them all, Summoning is the one atmospheric black metal band to rule them all.

Lustre "Still Innocence"

    In a growing world where people will build housing developments without any consideration for the natural world, Lustre’s new album, “Still Innocence,” is an offering of sound to remind listener’s of the majestic powers of nature that we should appreciate more often.

    Lustre is a name in the world of atmospheric black metal that many fans have come to admire and consider to be one of the most innovative acts around. Whereas Summoning takes listeners away to the lands of Middle Earth, Lustre takes listeners on a journey through the natural world in vivid dreamlike fashion. The sole mastermind behind Lustre, Nachzeit, has established himself as one of atmospheric black metal’s most creative composers whose catalog is vast and full of impressive releases. “Still Innocence,” marks the Swedish based musicians 6th studio album and continues to explore the spiritual sounding synth landscapes of atmospheric brilliance.

    As with all Lustre recordings, you find yourself letting go of this modern world’s chaos and becoming one with the sounds of soothing atmospheric wonder. The drum arrangements matched with the main keyboard parts construct such an uplifting and harmonious sound. Opening the album, “Dreaded Still,” serves as the introduction to what will become a journey through the atmospheric sounding world given to us by Lustre. The next song, “Nestle Within,” brings about a sense of innocence amongst the cathartic musical environment.

    Where I live Fall is just beginning and the song, “Let Go Like Leaves of Fall,” happens to be a great soundtrack for the season. The overall tone is relaxing, cosmic and layered with solemn sounds to fill your ears. I highly recommend listening to the song while out for a hike, because you might feel a special connection with the natural world around you.

    Track number four, “Reverence Road,” is a longer piece that utilizes more guitar sound to create a wall of distortion that the keyboard follows along to with a trail of melodic notes. Lustre is known for writing long piece of music which contain many different layers and atmospheric structures. However, I would consider this track to not match up with some of my favorite Lustre songs such as “Amongst the Trees,” and “Echoes of Transcendence.” For this album though I do believe, “Reverence Road,” is a solid song when relating to the album’s overall theme.

    The final song, “Without End,” is yet another splendid piece of glorious sounding atmospheric music. You feel a sense of positive closure after an album that took you away from the insanity of a modern world so hellbent on forgetting that without nature our planet will become a massive heap of garbage.

    In the end Lustre once again brought to life the beauty of nature through atmospheric sounding compositions. Is this the greatest Lustre album to date? Open for debate of course, but I will say that this is one of the most well produced and enjoyable albums to come out this year. I believe from start to finish that if you enjoy atmospheric black metal, you will be intently listening to this therapeutic work of outstanding musical talent.


Preview Lustre "Nestle Within" below:

Make sure to order your copy of the album through Nordvis Produktion:
https://www.nordvis.com/

Sojourner "Empires of Ash"

    I have noticed in the last fews years there have been many stellar atmospheric black metal albums. Bands like Caladan Brood, Lustre, Dreams of Nature, Eldamar and many more, have done an amazing job crafting such epic and fascinating sounding releases. Sojourner is an up and coming atmospheric black metal band that released their debut full-length album, "Empires of Ash,” in May of last year. The band has teamed up with Fólkvangr Records and will release the cassette version of the album March 31st.

    For this article I have decided to review the album since the band is going to be releasing a cassette version. I remembered listening to a couple songs off the album last year on Lightfox177’s youtube channel. After being sent this promo for the release of the cassette version, I think it is time for me to evaluate and see what Sojourner was able to accomplish with this debut full-length release. Are they on that same atmospheric black metal level as some of the bands I listed in the first paragraph?

    To begin, the band’s sound invokes that cinematic feel one might find on a Summoning album, or the many other bands who worship Summoning. Their music is melodic yet has that grim black metal sound to achieve a contrast of atmospheric splendor. The opening song, “Bound by Blood,” does a great job getting listener’s attentions right away and the composition is well thought out. Instead of using the guitars to create more distant sound, the riffs are very prominent during the song. Overall, the opening track reassures listeners that Sojourner is capable of writing solid atmospheric black metal music. However, does the band do that for the rest of the album?

    The following tracks continue the sound and style from the first piece, but I find the music to not be as compelling and dynamic as I would have expected. There are plenty of great soothing moments that break away from the fury of the guitar and drum aggression. I just felt like the band played it safe a few times. The second track, “Heritage of the Natural Realm,” has very captivating sounding moments and would have liked to have heard that more throughout the album.

    Sojourner also goes for a very somber tone at times like with the song, “Homeward,” that I think is one of the best tracks on the album. The incorporation of melodic clean vocals with the black metal style does work at times, but is subject to moments where I thought they band could have just used the black metal style. Lastly, I want to point out how the music conveys a very epic tone. You find yourself imagining a fantastic world of nature and old majestic kingdoms beyond our mundane society full of lazy people enslaved to technology.

    In the end, Sojourner’s, “Empires of Ash,” is a really good sounding first album full of long epic atmospheric black metal tracks. Unfortunately, there are bands who compose atmospheric black metal that have recorded some utterly brilliant albums and in my opinion Sojourner is not yet on that same level. I do believe Sojourner are talented and have the potential to write some amazing music since there are definitely moments on this album I truly enjoyed. If you are a fan of atmospheric black metal I do recommend checking out Sojourner, because the music is without question better than any of that progressive metalcore bullcrap.


Sojourner "Bound by Blood" :

Sojourner Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/metalsojourner/

Review: “Eldamar / Dreams of Nature”

  I was quite pleased to see Eldamar and Dreams of Nature teaming up for this brilliant split to kick off 2017. Also, the split is being released through one of my favorite labels, Northern Silence Productions. Although there are only two songs total on the release, I must say that the quality of the music is well worth the purchase and both acts skillfully demonstrate their atmospheric black metal talents.

In my opinion, what makes this release extremely special is that these two artists know how to compose captivating pieces of atmospheric black metal. Eldamar and Dreams of Nature have been releasing some high quality material within the last couple years. Eldamar’s debut album, “The Force of the Ancient Land,” came out last year along with Dreams of Nature’s, “Magic Transcendence,” which was the follow-up to the band’s 2015 highly acclaimed release, “Spirit of Nature.”

  Eldamar starts the split off with the track, “Hagalaz.” In the background rain can be heard falling down as the synth and drums slowly builds up to create an epic sounding main verse section. I like how Eldamar uses the guitar to be a main driving force in their music instead of turning down the volume and making it simply background noise. The recording of each instrument is perfectly executed along with the vocals. Faint echoes of black metal growls contrast with vibrant melodic choir like vocals to create a constantly evolving musical landscape. The dynamic songwriting skills of Eldamar throughout the song allows you to become lost in this magnificent world of atmospheric black metal. Sometimes I forget the song is around eleven minutes, because my attention is solely focused on each note and each sound.

  Dreams of Nature’s song, “Eternal Twilight,” is also a very exceptionally written track with vocals provided by Lord Valke from Svarte. I like the arrangements and how the music will fade out for a bit and then return in a triumphant sounding manner. The drum parts during the track really standout, especially when the music’s tempo becomes faster like towards the end of the song. Compared to Eldamar, the vocals during this song take on a different quality, because the style used is more in the vein of your traditional style black metal vocals. Overall, you get a great track from Dreams of Nature after hearing a great track from Eldamar.

  I think 2017 is shaping up to be a great year for metal music and this split featuring Eldamar and Dreams of Nature is helping to validate my claim. I encourage both bands to keep up their phenomenal songwriting skills as both of them are becoming such respected acts in the world of atmospheric black metal. The work ethic and dedication that went into this release is truly special, so I highly recommend everyone who is reading this review to check out the split right away.



Click on the link to listen to the full split:

Eldamar Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/eldamarnorway/

Dreams of Nature Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/dreamsofnature1/

Northern Silence Productions:
https://www.facebook.com/NorthernSilenceProductions/

Ranking: Summoning's Full-length Albums

Summoning is without question one of the most iconic atmospheric black metal bands in the world. They have taken the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and crafted some of the most brilliant sounding songs that allow listeners to visit Middle-Earth on each release. So, I decided to rank their seven full-length albums in order from my favorite to my least favorite. Here they are... 

1. Oath Bound - The song, “Land of the Dead,” alone is pretty much why this is my favorite Summoning album. That track has some amazing guitar parts and the production is flawless. Also, the main choir part injects such powerful emotion into the song. Also, I always felt like the band took atmospheric black metal into an even more triumphant and captivating direction. The album’s distant sounding guitar riffs and long epic synth arrangements serve as the perfect score to accompany the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Plus the lyrics for, “Mirdautas Vras,” are written in the Black Speech of Mordor...now how many bands can do that!

2. Minas Morgul - The Witch-king of Angmar would approve on this Summoning release. A lot of fans consider this to be the band’s best album and it is the album that establishes Summoning as a major influence in the world of atmospheric black metal. “Minas Morgul,” is such a great release and contains tremendous songs like, “Marching Homewards,” Through the Forest of Dol Guldur,” “The Passing of the Grey Company,” and “Morthond.” The instrumental compositions are flawless while the vocals provide such haunting and sinister narration.

3. Lugburz - For their first album Summoning went for a more harsh and traditional style of black metal. I definitely hear influences like Burzum and Darkthrone, especially in the album’s production. There are moments where one might notice Summoning incorporating classical and atmospheric elements that become part of the band’s signature sound on future releases. I still think even though it does not fit the signature Summoning sound, the album is really well written for the style of black metal they were going for at the time.

4. Stronghold - Here is where Summoning started to add more melodic vocals and grand choruses that continue to be heard on the following Summoning releases. Once again, the long epic pieces are well written and tell magnificent stories that bring the works of Tolkien alive in the imaginations of listeners. Another area that makes this a solid release is the guitar riffs. “Long Lost to Where no Pathway Goes,” has a soothing melodic structure that opens the mind to a world of atmospheric splendor.

5. Dol Guldur - Sort of a continuation from what was being done on “Minas Morgul,” but I think the album has its own unique identity. I really enjoy the song, “Nightshade Forests,” which is my favorite track off the album. I have always felt like I needed to listen to it more, because this was at one time my least favorite Summoning release. However, since I have been going back to it more I have noticed it moving up and starting to grow on me. I think the balance of harsh sounding black metal elements and melodic structures is really what draws me to the album.

6. Old Mornings Dawn - Their most recent release to date that came out in 2013, “Old Mornings Dawn,” was a welcoming release after the band had not released a full-length album since 2006’s “Oath Bound.” They continued to write long epic songs like the album’s magnificent title track. Once again the band creates magnificent cinematic atmospheric black metal music full of fantastic sounding landscapes. As much as I enjoyed the album, I was hoping for the vocals to return to the raw sound on Minas Morgul. Still, those grand choruses are quite enjoyable and add a triumphant touch when needed.

7. Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame - Just because this is my least favorite Summoning album, does not mean it is a worthless release. Quite the opposite! I enjoy “Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame,” but think the other albums just standout a bit more. “Farewell,” is a really good song which I think contains a great choir section with some epic lyrics. I consider it to be the rough draft for what they were going to do on, “Oath Bound.”Still, I think this is a solid release and one that people should not dismiss.

Well, there is my ranking of the seven full-length Summoning albums. I decided to leave demos and EPs off because that would be an even longer article. If you want to provide your ranking of Summoning’s full-length releases, please do so in the comments section below. 

"Upon the plain, there rushed forth and high

Shadows at dead end of night and mirrored in the sky

Far far away beyond might of day

And there lay the land of the dead of mortal cold decay"

-Summoning "Land of the Dead" 

Interview with Unreqvited

Unreqvited is a one-man atmospheric black metal project from Canada that skillfully combines a variety of different sounding elements to construct an atmospheric world with cinematic like qualities. Last month Unreqvited's debut full-length album, "Disquiet," was released and has received high praise from fans and critics. After reviewing the album for this blog, I thought it would be a good idea to learn more about the band and ask the mastermind behind this brilliant music some questions. Here is the interview...


Hello there and thanks for taking the time to do this interview. “Disquiet,” is a release that I think displays brilliant songwriting and very creative musical abilities. How long has Unreqvited been around for and when did you start working on the album?

Unreqvited: Thank you! I began writing for the project towards the end of last winter. I wrote the title track off the record before I had even decided that I wanted to start up a black metal project. As soon as the song was complete I put it up online and Pest Productions sent me a message within two hours of it being up. This was my confirmation that I wanted to follow through with the project.

From what I have read on your Facebook page and in the album’s description, you play all the instruments on the album. Is that correct? What is it like being in a one-man band? Do find that you get to have more creative freedom?

Unreqvited: Yes, I composed all of the music and recorded, mixed, and mastered all of it myself in my bedroom. Of course one of the main perks of having a solo project is having full control over everything creatively, which isn't something I necessarily had in previous projects. Unreqvited is not my only active music endeavor, however it is the only project where I can conduct everything exactly as I want it to be done.

The production quality on this album was very impressive and that really stood out when I first listened to the release. Where did you record the album and maybe walk readers through how you recorded some of the songs? Were there any songs you felt took longer to record, or maybe need extra time to compose?

Unreqvited: I've heard quite a lot of mediocre production coming out of the scene recently, and although it is not traditional to do so, I set out to create something that was produced well enough that it could appeal to people outside of the strict genre confinements that it may be categorized as.

I would describe Unreqvited as atmospheric black metal with an incorporation of different musical elements that mainly focus on creating a strong atmosphere. However, I find labeling and describing music to be a difficult task, as musicians can have a variety of influences and reviewers can possibly ignore certain aspects of an artist’s album. I was wondering if you could talk about the different styles of music that have influenced you and may have contributed to Unreqvited’s sound?

Unreqvited: I was heavily influenced by many different genres in the creation of Disquiet. Apart from the newer wave of black metal/shoegaze hybrid bands, I am very interested in film scores, New Age music, and generally anything with a huge cinematic feel. I think you can see a lot of this influence in the very last track on the album. I set out to create something that could still fit within the genre of atmospheric black/post-black, but to put enough of my own influences into it to make it unique.

To me the entire album is one massive story divided up into chapters, but instead of using words you have created a tale with dynamic and captivating sounds. I would describe it as almost cinematic at times. Could you maybe talk about what inspired you to write the album? Also, can you maybe explain your decision to not use actual lyrics to narrate your songs?

Unreqvited: I've always been a huge fan of instrumental music, because it can tell a story that is very open to interpretation by the listener. All of the songs on the record are written with a very personal story in mind, and the meaning behind them will never be unveiled to anyone. I want to put the creative process back into the hands of the listener to create their own meaning.

Unreqvited "Death" : 

This is going to be one of those commonly asked questions, but is there a track on the album that you personally think stands out amongst the rest? Let’s say someone has never heard of Unreqvited before and this is the song you believe they should hear first?

Unreqvited: I think The Autumn Fire and the title track Disquiet are the two songs that really hold the quintessential Unreqvited sound. Any new material will revolve around keeping that core sound, and expanding on it.

Right now you are a one-man project, but would you be interested in performing live with other musicians? Do you think Unreqvited could one day have a full line-up, or are you perfectly content with working on all the music?

Unreqvited: Although I am perfectly content with remaining a studio project, I would love to take the project on the road if the right opportunity arose. There are no plans to do so as if right now, but I won't rule it out as a possibility.

Well, this is the final question and I am going to ask if maybe we can get a glimpse into the future. Are you already starting to work on new material for a follow-up to “Disquiet?”

Unreqvited: I have a few ideas brewing, but I've been very wrapped up in other projects to really put the time into new music right now.

Thanks again for the interview and hope to hear more exceptional recordings from Unreqvited in the future.

Unreqvited: You're very welcome, take care! 


Unreqvited Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/unreqvited/?fref=ts

Unreqvited Bandcamp:
https://unreqvited.bandcamp.com/

Unreqvited "Disquiet"

  2016 seems to be the year of atmospheric black metal, because I find myself writing a review for yet another talented band that explores the genre’s infinite potential for musical creativity. Unreqvited is a one-man project from Canada that captured my attention right away when I first heard the song, “Disquiet.” Soon after hearing that song, I was highly anticipating the release of this debut full-length album.

  The band’s style of atmospheric black metal is one that paints a canvas of musical diversity with elements of post rock, ambient and of course that majestic atmospheric black metal sound that completely washes over your soul. From the beginning you find yourself locked into this massive sounding world of guitars, synthesizers and drums. Instead of clearly presenting lyrical content, the artist uses these cries of agony to give the release a unique quality that replaces words with true human expression. When evaluating the overall production quality and sound of the album, I find there to be few weak moments, which tells you the sort of hard work that went into recording this release.

  As I said before my first introduction to the band was when I heard the title track before the album’s release. Now having heard the entire album, I am able to understand how that song fits into the entire picture. “Disquiet,” may be separated into seven tracks,  but the music is one piece of an emotional odyssey through these captivating atmospheric landscapes with fading cries of aguish to create a brilliant contrast of sound. Unrequited opens the album with the song, “Birth,” and ends the release with the appropriately titled track, “Death.” That final song happens to be one of the most deep and moving pieces of music I have heard this year and I will go into further detail later on in this review. The rest of the songs on the album convey their own distinct sounding themes, yet maintain a level of consistency that makes the transitions from each track flow with great synergy.

  “The Autumn Fire,” is one song that I found myself constantly replaying once it finished. I just close my eyes and let the music take me away with its soothing and dynamic guitar arrangements. The melodic touches combined with the cold black metal screams is very comforting. Other songs that expressed a similar sounding presentation that I also enjoyed were, “An Ocean of Ire,” and “Maydena.” In the end, my favorite song on the album is, “Death.” The keyboard parts are well composed, while the background synth provides a deep and moving atmosphere. As the final distorted guitar section concludes the sounds of thunder can be heard echoing in the background. The music fades out with a pleasant piano section to close the book on this atmospheric tale.

  Unreqvited’s, “Disquiet,” is an album that had me speechless at times, but as you can tell by the length of this review I had a lot to say about the release. Arguably one of the best sounding releases to come out this year and the recording quality is once again really impressive. When dealing with this frustrating and crazy modern world, I think releases like this are a great investment and can be really therapeutic. I feel like saying highly recommended is not enough...you should really make the time to listen to this album.


Unreqvited "The Autumn Fire" :

Unrequited Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/unreqvited

Unrequited Bandcamp:
https://unreqvited.bandcamp.com 

Skogen “Svitjod”

    After being out of print for a long time, Skogen’s, “Svitjod,” is being rereleased through Nordvis Produktion and will be available on a variety of formats. This album really takes listeners across the Scandinavian landscapes by unleashing a brilliant atmospheric black metal sound. 

    The Swedish band's second album is considered to be one of the finest atmospheric black metal albums from the region and the band continues that tradition of Scandinavian black metal which goes all the way back to Bathory. When listening to, “Svitjod,” you will find yourself becoming immersed in the mix of atmospheric black metal and Scandinavian influenced metal. Similar to Bathory’s, “Nordland 1 and 2,” Skogen introduces listeners to more than just a style of music, but it is an homage to one’s culture. 

    The solemn intro riff on the first song, “Dighra dödh,” creates this ominous atmospheric tone and the harsh black metal vocals provide such a powerful sound. Eventually, the band develops the music into more of an epic sounding section with these great melodic touches. However, there is always this contrast between the black metal and more Scandinavian folk metal elements. Probably what makes this album’s atmosphere so mesmerizing is the contrast of styles. Track number two, “Häxsabbat (Crimen Laesae Divinae Maiestatis),” creates more of a grim atmosphere as if one were walking through a blizzard across a frozen tundra under a full moon on a pitch black night. The music expresses such raw emotion and the notes played on the guitar send chills down your spine. It is really great music to clear your mind and lose yourself in the dark yet pleasant atmosphere. 

    Another notable track is, “Vinterriket,” which is the album’s longest piece that goes for about elven plus minutes. The music journeys through a variety of transformations and features acoustic incorporation to offer that Scandinavian sounding theme. Overall, it is an amazing piece of music that demonstrates tremendous songwriting talent. “Storm,” is another dynamic and captivating song on the album. The brutal black metal vocal delivery is perfectly recorded over the guitar and drum parts to inject a more aggressive sounding tone. A great point to bring up about the album is that the recording for this release was extremely well executed. The recording of each instrument truly stands out and plays an important role in the overall structure. Also, the keyboard sections definitely deserve recognition for building a landscape in the background to contrast with the extreme sounding compositions. 

    A few final tracks I want to mention are, “Blodörnshämnd,” “Dauðaferð,” and “Svitjod.” These songs contain some great riffs and triumphant sounding pieces of atmospheric black metal. When you look at the album cover you could imagine yourself hiking through the forests of Sweden listening to this album. Although the Scandinavian themed atmospheric black metal style has been created numerous times before, Skogen does make it interesting and is able to find ways to make you become engaged in the music. 

    If you have heard this album before, or if this is your first time even hearing about the band Skogen, you still need to go and check out the rerelease Nordvis is putting out. I do believe they are already selling copies on their page, so go and grab a copy if you enjoy this type of music. As a fan of atmospheric black metal, I truly think this release stands out amongst the crowd and deserves high praise for its musical creativity. 

Skogen “Häxsabbat (Crimen Laesae Divinae Maiestatis)" : 

Skogen Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/skogensweden

Link to Label: 

https://skogensweden.bandcamp.com/album/svitjod

Interview with Jacob Lizotte from Feign

With the release of his first full-length album, “Atlas,” due out later this month, Jacob Lizotte the mastermind behind the band, Feign, was kind enough to take the time and answer some questions I had for him. This one-man band combines atmospheric black metal and melodic death metal to create one unique and enjoyable listening experience. You can find a link to my review of, “Atlas,” at the end of this interview. 

Hi there Jacob! Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. Also, congratulations on your first full-length release, “Atlas.” How does it feel to have a full-length album out and available for people to check out?

Jacob: It feels mighty fine.

Now I reviewed, “Into the Void” last year and have heard some of the songs from “Lost to Eternity,” and I really enjoy those recordings, especially the songs on, “Into the Void.” What did you learn from those releases that might have helped influence you when writing and recording, “Atlas?”

Jacob: I liked the demos but I hadn’t fully captured the essence of how I wanted Feign to sound until now. The sound will continue to evolve, but now I feel as if it’s really established itself.

Production quality is extremely important and it can truly make or break an album in my opinion. How you do feel about the album’s production quality? Also, can you maybe talk about where you recorded the album and briefly go through the process?

Jacob: It gives the exact vibe that I wanted it to give. I wouldn’t change any aspect of the production, I want it to sound a bit old and weathered but while conveying a certain amount of clarity and allowing all of the layers to stay audible. I recorded it in my bedroom with an SM57.

I feel there are a lot of solid tracks on this release to where I would have a hard time picking out a favorite. Is there a song on the album you feel most proud of writing, or are there maybe a few tracks you think really standout?

Jacob: I like the title track a lot, mostly because it’s like an entire beast in its own. The title track was written last summer and it took me by far the longest it’s ever taken for me to write a single song. I’m proud of it, I think it’s sort of a good “overview” of the album and ends it on a good note. Other than that, I really like “…A Visitor” and I will definitely be exploring more emotional and melodic ideas like that in future releases.

As much as I hear atmospheric black metal in your music, I also hear a variety of other unique sounding musical elements at times. I was wondering if you could talk about some of the bands who influenced you growing up and maybe inspired you to write your own music? 

Jacob: I could give you a list of super obscure black metal bands to sound musically savvy, or I could be honest and tell you what really influenced me and potentially shift the way you see or hear the music. Feign is more influenced by melodic death metal then anything. I grew up listening to a ton of In Flames, Metallica, At The Gates, Soilwork and even Killswitch Engage. You get the point, I love all forms of music and appreciate all forms of metal and music. In my mind Feign is early In Flames with blast beats, high screams and a heavier emphasis on atmosphere and progressive elements. I love Black Metal and everything but it’s not where my heart lies completely by any means.

Not only do I find the instrumental compositions to be extremely creative, but the lyrics on this album also seem to convey great imagination. I was wondering, where do you look for lyrical inspiration and maybe talk about the lyrical origins for some of these songs?

Jacob: I’m not really sure. I sort’ve just try and use imagery and metaphors to convey certain ideas about society, relationships and even my own personal thoughts. It’s not THAT well thought out, to be honest, it’s just as thought as the music itself.

Are you interested in getting other musicians to come in and play with you in Feign, or do you want to keep this a one-man band? Also, are you interested in having Feign play live shows at some point?

Jacob: I wouldn’t mind collaborating but I’m sure I’d be hard to work with at this point, after years and years of creating music on my own. Playing shows would be neat but again, I don’t know anyone that plays instruments and I don’t mind doing it solo. If you know anyone who can play drums or something have them give me a shoutout.

I know this might be a bit early since, “Atlas,” is just being released, but is there already another potential album in the works? Will there be more creative atmospheric extreme sounding music in the future listeners can except from Feign? If this is top secret classified information I understand you might not be able to give the readers the full details, but maybe subtle hints might be sufficient...

Jacob: It’s top secret. Only 3 people in the known world possess such highly volatile information, and will be shot on command if they utter any word or phrase that hints at its existence. Kidding! Yeah, I mean I’ve actually recently been working on newer stuff and it’s been super fun. I’ve enjoyed writing for Feign now more than ever, the sound is expanding and I’m drawing on new elements, as well as other cool things going on. It should be fun to see how the newer music will compare to Atlas and such. I’m thinking about bringing in some electronic elements and maybe more thrashy/death metal type stuff just lingering in there. But of course the sole sound will stay and there will be moments of “classic Feign” sprinkled all over it. It’ll be like an ice cream cone with chocolate sprinkles!

Well, congratulations once again and I truly believe your hard work has paid off, because “Atlas” is definitely an album that I highly recommend people check out. Can’t wait for what Feign has to offer up next! Cheers! \m/

Jacob: Thanks mate. Hold up them devil horns for me! I appreciate the interview!

Link to Review of "Atlas":

http://rockandmetaltemple.blogspot.com/2016/06/feign-atlas.html

Link to Feign Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/feignband/?fref=ts