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Leiru are a self-proclaimed Black Metal two-piece that have been around since 2005, releasing a flurry of demos, an EP, and a split before getting around to their first full-length album about 15 years later. In other words, they have the discography you'd expect from a Black Metal band, and while I'd argue that's one of the only things about them that fit that description, I'd also argue that the wait for this one was well worth it.

I call them a self-proclaimed Black Metal because this has very little in common with most bands in the genre. Maybe their demos were more in line with that, but here they employ a Traditional riff style and low, mournful clean singing that only really gets harsher on the end of "Lemoshatalan". They do mix in tremolo picking sections and a moody atmosphere not too dissimilar from Polish Black Metal bands like Plaga, and mixing that in with galloping, sometimes Maiden-esque riffage makes for a sound that's equal parts novel and exciting. The title track and "A kardok lehullanak" especially stand out, as their longer length really complements the rolling, emotional style that they're going for.

It's not easy to experiment with Black Metal without becoming something else entirely, and I'd say that Leiru have ended up doing that. However, what they ended up with was a propulsive sound that mixes Traditional guitar work with Black Metal mood to create something both powerful and individual, which goes to show that isn't always a bad thing to do. Highly recommended.