• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Atmospheric Black Metal lives and dies on whether or not it manages to create, you know, actual atmosphere, because without that it just becomes dull background music. There are so many bands in this genre now that I am always waiting for a bad one to hit me, but this is not that. Second album for Ringarë, a band from Nashville, originally, though they seem to have scattered from Philadelphia to Sweden.

Aside from atmosphere, this album delivers some really good melodies and a solid production. The riffs and sounds are often reminiscent of genuine Doom, but in the traditional sense rather than the depressive mode you often get from Black Metal. There are instrumental interludes with delicate, soothing keyboards that sometimes go on too long, but when they finally segue back into slashing riffs it is really gratifying. Overall, this is a solid release for fans of the genre.