Ernte |Der Schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis |Purity Through Fire

Release Date February 13^th, 2026
Format CD/LP
Genre Black Metal
Country Switzerland

Ernte is the brainchild of Häxär, a guy who spent two decades messing around with dark ambient and graphic arts before deciding he needed to get back to the sonic filth of his youth. In 2020, he dragged Askahex into the fold, she’s got some serious pedigree from the doom scene with Ashtar and shEver, to handle the bass, violin, and those throat-shredding vocals. After a couple of albumns and a live debut in late 2023, these Swiss misanthropes have clawed their way to a fourth full-length. They claim to hate the modern world, and honestly, the music sounds like they’re ready to watch it burn while they sip something strong in the Alps.

The new offering, "Der Schwarzen Flamme Vermächtnis", is a war-driven beast that sounds like a serrated blade dragged across a frozen lake. It’s got this "sparkling filth" production where everything is shredded and raw, yet you can hear every agonizing detail of the guitars. Ernte doesn't hide behind a wall of noise; they use a fierce, metronomic speed that reminds me of the early Dødheimsgard era where the cold wasn't just a vibe. The songwriting is hateful and aggressive, delivering a specialized brand of Swiss hostility that refuses to play nice with current trends.

Askahex is a force of nature on this album, delivering vocals that sound like they were ripped from a throat filled with glass. Her history with the violin adds a layer of grim atmosphere that isn't there to be pretty, it’s there to add tension to the wreckage Häxär creates with his riffs. Tracks like "Warrior Of The Black Flame" and "Lord Of Ascending Flame" are unrelenting, showing off a level of speed and aggression that puts most of the "traditional" clones to shame. The sound is dry, lethal, and focused on total devastation.

If you’re looking for something that bows to the hollow progress of 2026, keep walking. This album is a middle finger to a sickened society, built on values of fire and blood. It’s an authentic, biting piece of true Helvetic black metal that stays locked into a grim, anti-modern philosophy. Ernte has delivered an album for the fanatics who want black metal to sound like a natural disaster devouring mankind. It’s cold, it’s fast, and it’s genuinely pissed off.

Score: 7.5

www.purity-through-fire.com

www.facebook.com/ernteblackmetal

Greve |Bleknat Bortom Evig Tid |Purity Through Fire

Release Date: 6 December 2025

Format: CD/Vinyl

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Country: Sweden

    Greve is a Swedish black metal project formed in 2019, guided by Swartadauþuz, a figure known for multiple underground acts tied to Ancient Records. The band has built a reputation for a deeply traditional Swedish black metal sound, rooted in second wave aesthetics and a strong melodic core. With each full length, Greve has refined a stark, old world expression that values atmosphere, memory, and inward vision over surface impact.

“Bleknat Bortom Evig Tid” arrives as Greve’s third full length and presents the band at a point of clear focus. The album unfolds with a skeletal openness that gives space to melody and pacing, allowing ideas to surface without excess layering. The sound is clear and crisp, placing emphasis on the lines and themes rather than sheer volume or pressure. This approach gives the material an exposed quality, where every movement matters and nothing hides behind mass.

The songwriting favors long forms that develop patiently, shaped by repetition and subtle variation. Melodies stretch outward and linger, marked by a yearning tone that runs through the album. Vocals from Swartadauþuz and Korgath serve the material with restraint, guiding the songs without overpowering them. The result is an album that unfolds steadily, drawing attention through its internal logic and measured progression.

Production plays a key role in how “Bleknat Bortom Evig Tid” communicates its vision. The mix highlights separation and space, giving the music a cold, open air presence. Guitars remain central, supported by a rhythmic foundation that stays firm without drawing focus away from the melodic narrative. This balance strengthens the album’s coherence and keeps its direction clear across its length.

As a whole, the album reinforces Greve’s place within contemporary Swedish black metal by refining an already established language. It offers a focused and immersive listen that values atmosphere and melodic depth above excess. With its careful construction and restrained power, “Bleknat Bortom Evig Tid” stands as a strong and consistent entry in the band’s catalog.

Score: 8.0

Velmorth |Feral Dominion |Purity Through Fire

Release Date: December 6^th, 2025

Format: CD/Vinyl

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Germany

Velmorth is a black metal project forged by Revenant, known for work with Sarkrista, Order Of Nosferat, and Siechknecht. Active in the deeper currents of the European underground, this new entity focuses on a late 90s rooted expression, austere in spirit and heavy in atmosphere. The project surfaced quietly and fully formed, guided by a clear fixation on older black metal values and a disciplined approach to songwriting.

“Feral Dominion” arrives as Velmorth’s debut full length, written and recorded between August and October 2025. The album speaks in a language shaped by melancholy, mysticism, and martial resolve. Its sound stays firmly within an old school framework, marked by elongated melodies and a constant pull toward somber, warlike imagery. The production stays raw enough to preserve atmosphere while allowing the songs to unfold with clarity and intent.

Across its runtime, “Feral Dominion” unfolds with a measured pace and a strong thematic unity. The album favors extended structures that let motifs return and transform, building a hypnotic flow rooted in repetition and gradual escalation. The songwriting shows careful attention to internal balance, allowing aggressive passages and more reflective sections to coexist without breaking immersion. There is an evident grasp of classic black metal language, expressed through melody rather than excess.

Lyrically and visually, the album aligns with images of ancient conflict, forgotten realms, and spiritual defiance. The artwork by Vhan Artworks complements the music’s inward gaze and archaic character, reinforcing the album’s dedication to a timeless underground ethos. “Feral Dominion” stands as a focused debut that values consistency, atmosphere, and tradition, offering a solid and engaging listen for those drawn to melancholic and war driven black metal.

Score: 7.5

https://velmorth.bandcamp.com/album/feral-dominion

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaoSIt3-kRIcCXUIl7K8CVA

Tårfödd | Lidande | Purity Through Fire

Release Date: 31 October 2025

Format: CD

Genre: Depressive Suicidal Black Metal

Country: Sweden

Sweden’s Tårfödd has quickly become one of the most active and talked-about names in the depressive black metal underground. Formed in 2022 by Simon Lindgren, the project has already built an extensive discography filled with sorrowful grandeur and striking intensity. Lindgren’s vision of DSBM has always been drenched in emotional honesty and atmosphere, balancing melodic expression with pure despair. “Lidande”, the fourth album and now released physically through Purity Through Fire, captures Tårfödd at a defining moment.

The album moves like a storm that shifts its force and direction without warning. Harsh tremolo riffs crash against mournful leads, while the vocals sound as if they’ve been torn from somewhere deep and wounded. The songs stretch and contract in tempo, sometimes racing forward with blast beats, sometimes dragging through cold despair. Everything connects through a vivid melodic sense that turns grief into something strangely beautiful.

There’s a precision in how the melancholy unfolds. The guitars ring out with a biting, frozen edge, while the production opens up the layers, allowing each riff and cry to stand clearly in the mix. Melodies drift in and out like fading memories, while the rhythm section keeps the whole structure grounded. Lindgren’s voice remains one of the most haunting aspects of the album, raw and drained but deeply expressive.

“Lidande” moves through sadness and fury with the same intensity, giving the listener a sense of vastness within its sorrow. It’s an album that doesn’t rely on excess but on passion and emotional depth. The songwriting holds a tragic elegance, capturing everything that makes DSBM compelling; honesty, atmosphere, and melodic darkness. By the end, Tårfödd leaves a heavy mark. “Lidande” is the sound of pain given shape and purpose, and of black metal used not as escape but confrontation. It’s immersive, bitter, and strangely graceful, a strong addition to the band’s rapidly growing legacy.

Score: 7.5

trfdd.bandcamp.com

www.purity-through-fire.com

Siechknecht | Pestmond | Purity Through Fire

Release Date: 31 October 2025

Format: CD

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Germany

Siechknecht burst forth from Germany’s underground with “Pestmond,” a debut that takes no detours and makes its intentions known instantly. The band is led by Revenant, known from Sarkrista and Order Of Nosferat, supported by Desmotes on guitars, Seuchefürst on bass, and Ifrit on drums. Together they create a sound rooted in proud Teutonic black metal, where martial rhythms and triumphant melodies rule above all.

“Pestmond” strikes fast and straight. The guitars slice through the air with a melodic intensity that feels forged in battle, while Revenant’s vocals rise above with the venomous grandeur one would expect from his other works. The band moves with a measured aggression, often marching in disciplined mid-tempos that carry a sense of victory and resolve. When the pace lifts, it becomes an onrushing tide, driven by the drumming of Ifrit, who commands the pulse with precision and strength.

There’s an aura of majesty running through the music, built from the kind of melodies that seem to echo across frozen plains. The songs carry a distinct melodic signature, reminiscent of both the German and Finnish schools of black metal, where frost and fire meet in perfect balance. The production enhances this impression, raw enough to stay true to the genre’s roots, but with enough power to let every riff strike with full impact.

The atmosphere remains steady and immersive throughout, drenched in pride and martial vigor. Siechknecht doesn’t rely on theatricality or grand statements; they deliver black metal that’s direct, melodic, and stirring. Each song feels forged from the same iron spirit, leading to a compact and convincing release that ends with the listener ready to march again. “Pestmond” is a strong first step for Siechknecht, an album that carries the fire of tradition with energy and precision. Its balance of melody and aggression places it among the more promising recent German black metal releases, and it shows a band already capable of commanding attention.

Score: 7.8

https://www.facebook.com/siechknecht/

https://siechknecht.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/siechknecht/

www.purity-through-fire.com

Kvad | Sort Skogsmesse | Purity Through Fire

Release Date: October 31, 2025

Format: CD, Vinyl LP

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Norway

When it comes to modern black metal, few figures are as restless and productive as Peregrinus. Known for projects such as Hjemsøkt, Solus Grief, Unholy Craft and Heraldic Blaze, he has shaped his own small universe of darkness and frost. Under the Kvad name, he channels the coldest traditions of Norwegian black metal, with “Sort Skogsmesse” marking the project’s third full-length release. Recorded in the depths of winter at Numinous Cavern Studio, the album continues Peregrinus’ path into the raw and ancient.

“Sort Skogsmesse” builds on the spirit of Kvad’s previous work “So Old”, but this time, the music sounds even more rooted in the grim Nordic legacy that shaped the genre decades ago. The production is harsher, the guitar tone thick and distant, and the vocals rougher and closer to the early ’90s Norwegian approach. The sound is icy but grim, the kind of texture that belongs to forest landscapes and endless nights. Subtle synth touches appear like faint lights in the distance, never overwhelming the rawness of the main sound.

The songwriting moves between storming aggression and slower, mid-paced passages that create space and atmosphere. The tension shifts often, giving the album a restless energy that keeps the listener drawn into its cold heart. Each track is like part of a larger cycle, as if the music itself walks through different phases of the same endless winter. There’s a defined vision in how Kvad approaches this kind of black metal, raw, direct, unpolished, and authentic to its roots.

Peregrinus’ vocals cut through the mix with a throatier tone, somewhere between a rasp and a roar, while Lord G’s drumming maintains a balance of power and restraint. Together they craft something that sounds true to the early Scandinavian lineage, echoing the influence of Gorgoroth and Kvist, while still sounding alive and present rather than nostalgic. “Sort Skogsmesse” is an album that rewards immersion. It doesn’t rely on theatrics or dramatic shifts, instead trusting in atmosphere, repetition and the icy pull of its riffs. This is the creation of an artist deeply rooted in that tradition intimately and treats it with the right devotion.

Score: 7.0

kvad.bandcamp.com

www.purity-through-fire.com

Scheusal | Fressfeind | Purity Through Fire

Release Date: October 31, 2025

Format: CD

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Germany

Germany’s Scheusal emerged earlier this year with “Urwahn,” a debut that caught underground attention through its savage minimalism and proud adherence to the country’s black metal lineage. Without wasting time, the mysterious one-man project returns with “Fressfeind,” a continuation of that same uncompromising spirit. The quick turnaround between albums suggests a creative momentum that hasn’t cooled down, and this second chapter only deepens the band’s raw, martial energy.

“Fressfeind” is a vicious, straightforward black metal assault steeped in cold aggression and spite. The sound is stripped of any gloss, and that’s entirely the point. The production is raw but surprisingly defined, with the instruments cutting through in a way that keeps the chaos legible. There’s a sense of constant motion, tracks hammer forward without hesitation, filled with sharp riffing and relentless percussion. Vocally, the album is manic and varied; growls, shouts, and distorted howls overlap like a drunken brawl between spirits. It’s not pleasant, but it’s gripping in its madness.

The album’s strength lies in its refusal to soften anything. Scheusal keeps the tempo high and the spirit violent, with the occasional melodic shimmer slipping through the grime to remind you that this isn’t just noise, it’s carefully controlled aggression. The martial undertones give parts of the record a warlike pulse, adding a sense of movement and tension that fits the Teutonic tradition perfectly.

“Fressfeind” doesn’t feel like a new direction for Scheusal but more like a deeper excavation of what the project already stood for. Primitive, passionate, German black metal that rasps rather than speaks. The atmosphere remains grim, the pacing unrelenting, and the sense of individuality definite in its twisted energy. A solid release for diehard fans of underground black metal, raw, energetic, and authentic, though its narrow focus limits its long-term impact. It’s a harsh, headstrong album that sticks to its path and dares you to follow it into the fire.

Score: 6.5

https://scheusal.bandcamp.com/

SAD | Fullmoon's Bestial Awakening | Purity Through Fire

 

Release Date: October 31, 2025

Format: CD/A5 Digipack/Vinyl

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Greece

SAD formed in Greece in 2005 and have built a long and intense legacy in the underground black metal scene. Driven by the duo of Ungod (music, arrangements, instruments) and Nadir (lyrics, vocals), the band has released a steady stream of albums, splits, and collaborations through respected labels such as Drakkar, Obscure Abhorrence, and Old Temple. Since joining forces with Purity Through Fire in 2020, SAD has remained consistent in delivering music that honors the raw, primal essence of true black metal. Their ninth album, “Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening,” continues that dedication, following 2023’s “Black Metal Craft”.

 “Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening” is a fierce reminder of why SAD has lasted two decades in the abyss. It’s unflinching, cold, and soaked in the kind of dark energy that only experience can command. The album channels the pure spirit of late ’90s black metal, echoing the grimness of labels like Sombre Records and Drakkar, while maintaining the harsh honesty that has always defined the band.

Ungod’s instrumentation dominates like a one-man storm. The riffs move from raw speed to more majestic passages with natural flow, charging the music with narrative spirit rather than chaos. His arrangements keep a balance between aggression and bleak atmosphere, creating long, absorbing compositions that reward patience. The drumming remains relentless but measured, reinforcing the hypnotic nature that SAD has always embraced.

Nadir’s vocals are as venomous as ever, harsh, occult, and expressive without drifting into theatricality. His presence is spiritual, channeling the lyrical themes of isolation, transcendence, and human decay with determination. Together, the two create a soundscape that is blistering and strangely meditative, as if forged in the same black flame that lit the early underground.

The production stays true to the band’s roots. Cold and direct, avoiding modern slickness. The atmosphere is raw but not unlistenable, it captures the essence of black metal’s origins while allowing every layer to remain audible. This approach gives “Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening” the authenticity of something carved from darkness rather than polished in a studio. There’s a sense of timelessness across the eight tracks without rush, expanding their ideas patiently, pulling the listener into long, immersive passages where repetition becomes ritual. It’s an album to experience in full, a journey through desolation that is oddly invigorating.

“Fullmoon’s Bestial Awakening” stands as another strong offering from a band that refuses compromise or trend-following. It’s a work born from dedication to the old ways, sharpened by maturity and unwavering intent. Fans of authentic black metal, where melody hides beneath frost and fury, will have enough material to get lost in.

Score: 7.8

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063648343729#

Orgrel | The Abyssal Terror | Purity Through Fire

 

Release Date: 31 October 2025

Format: CD / Vinyl

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Italy

Orgrel formed in Italy and quickly became one of the names whispered with respect in underground black metal circles. Their debut, “Red Dragon’s Invocation” (2021), and the follow-up EP “The Oath Of The Black Wolf” (2022), established them as a band deeply rooted in the spirit of late ‘90s European black metal. They aren’t concerned with trends or production gloss; they channel the grim atmosphere of an age when the genre still sounded dangerous and ritualistic.

“The Abyssal Terror” is a natural continuation of that path, and it’s exactly as its title suggests, aggressive, warlike, and shrouded in darkness. The album embodies the essence of tradition without turning nostalgic. The production is dry and old-school, with every instrument fighting its way through the mix, giving the music that raw energy so many modern releases miss. There’s no artificial space or digital gloss here, only the raw echo of instruments played with intent fury.

The riffs move between fast, storming passages and slower, almost ceremonial moments. The drums drive the songs with relentless energy, and the bass provides the grounding pulse underneath the chaos. The vocals sound like a sermon from a forgotten tomb, deep and rasping, pushing the ritualistic side of Orgrel even further. Despite the intensity, there’s melody in the guitar work, a melodic phrasing that’s ancient pride, recalling the darker side of early Scandinavian black metal without copying it.

What gives “The Abyssal Terror” its character is the balance between aggression and atmosphere. It doesn’t rely on endless speed; it uses pacing and repetition as incantations. There’s something primal about the songwriting, the kind of power that doesn’t shout about originality but thrives with strength and determination. When “Horned Tyrant” or “Storming Souls” roar out, it’s not about technical precision, it’s about summoning that sense of ancient fury that black metal was born from.

Orgrel sounds fully committed to their craft. They know exactly what world they inhabit and how to summon its essence. “The Abyssal Terror” isn’t about progress or nostalgia, it’s about expression through chaos, about keeping the ritual alive. It’s an album that belongs to the fire-lit halls of the underground, played loud and without interruption.

Score: 7.0

www.facebook.com/orgrelofficial
www.purity-through-fire.com

Häxär | Teufelskult | Purity Through Fire

 

Release Date: 31 October 2025

Format: CD, Vinyl LP, Mp3

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Switzerland

Häxär is a one-man black metal project from Switzerland, also active in Ernte. Since its inception, Häxär has carved a niche in raw, uncompromising black metal, mixing second-wave influences with a singularly harsh, modern edge. With each release, the project continues to explore dark, Alpine-infused atmospheres that are simultaneously aggressive and haunting.

“Teufelskult” hits hard and cold from the first note, a relentless journey through thick layers of tremolo riffs, blistering drums, and snarling vocals. The production keeps a raw, jagged edge, giving the music a live, almost chaotic energy that makes each track immediate and intense.

The album moves between short, sharp bursts like “Götterdämmerung” and longer, more vast assaults such as “Teufelskvlt,” showing Häxär’s control over pacing and atmosphere. There’s a consistent tension running through the songs, a feeling of dread underlined by eerie melodies and dissonant harmonics. Vocals are harsh and urgent, cutting with precision, while guitar lines are treble-heavy, weaving cold, piercing textures that linger long after the tracks end.

“Teufelskult” has moments of sheer, unrelenting aggression, with percussion and bass forming a propulsive backbone that drives forward even in slower sections. There’s an almost mechanical precision in the rhythms but never loses its organic bite. Every song has a sense of menace, making the album like a complete release from start to finish. The album works as a whole, a solid listen for fans of raw black metal who appreciate intensity, raw energy, and dark, Alpine atmospheres.

Score: 7.0

hxr666.bandcamp.com

www.purity-through-fire.com

Heraldic Blaze | Monument Of Will | Purity Through Fire

 

Release Date: 31 October 2025

Format: CD, Vinyl

Genre: Medieval Black Metal

Country: USA/Norway

Heraldic Blaze emerged in 2024 with the demo “Blazoned Heraldry”, a short but striking introduction that already showed a clear vision. The band is formed by American multi-instrumentalist Argent Pale, who handles vocals, bass and flute, and Norwegian guitarist Peregrinus, known from Kvad, Hjemsøkt, Solus Grief, and Unholy Craft. On “Monument Of Will”, their first full-length, they are joined by session drummer Kave, and the result is an album that confirms Heraldic Blaze as a promising name in the landscape of medieval-inspired black metal.

The sound of “Monument Of Will” has a sense of grandeur. Guitars dominate the space with melodic riffs that carry sorrow and brightness, moving between harshness and an almost regal quality. The production avoids being overly sterile, keeping a touch of warmth that makes the performance organic. Argent Pale’s vocals bring a sharp and commanding edge, while the addition of flute adds a faint but noticeable medieval spirit without turning the music into pastiche.

Songs such as “The Proffered Word” and “Steel Sun Bleeds Gold” display an energy that balances aggression with atmospheric depth, while “Harken The Peals Of May” leans into a more majestic and uplifting aura. Instrumental passages, especially in the brief “Dawn Of The Luminary” and “The Last Procession Of The Golden King”, expand the sense of narrative and carry the listener further into the band’s imagined realm. The album closes with “An Ignoble End”, a track that underlines Heraldic Blaze’s approach of weaving melody into raw black metal intensity.

There is variety across the tracks, and a unifying atmosphere ties everything together. The use of flute is subtle but effective, and the guitar lines frequently cross into territories of melancholic beauty. The drumming supports the music with steady force, pushing it forward when needed and pulling back to allow the melodic passages to unfold.

“Monument Of Will” shows Heraldic Blaze taking their first major step into the scene with confidence. It is a release that captures a distinct medieval black metal character while also offering a broader folkloric atmosphere that invites listeners to lose themselves in its soundscape. A solid debut, and one that sets the foundation for what could grow into something even more captivating in the years to come.

Score: 7.0

heraldicblaze.bandcamp.com

www.purity-through-fire.com

Redenção Pelas Chamas | Redenção Pelas Chamas | Purity Through Fire

 

Release Date: 12 September 2025
Format: CD, Vinyl
Country: Portugal

Redenção Pelas Chamas emerged from Portugal’s underground in 2022 with their first demo, which hinted at a traditional yet atmospheric direction in black metal. The band consists of Maledictus Der Noctis on drums, Belle Obscurité on guitars, Fëa-Morgûl on vocals, and H.Ulfv on bass. With their debut full-length, simply titled “Redenção Pelas Chamas”, the quartet delivers a vision rooted in raw tradition, carried by an clear sense of conviction. Released by Purity Through Fire, the album places the band firmly among Portugal’s growing wave of black metal groups who balance aggression with haunting melodies.

The debut album from Redenção Pelas Chamas is a work that feels like it belongs to another era of black metal—one that was carried by passion, minimalism, and a darkly poetic vision. Across ten tracks, including intro and outro, the band creates an atmosphere bleak and entrancing, without relying on excess or modern trickery.

The guitar work is built around riffs that echo with frost and sorrow, moving between flowing tremolo passages and more mid-paced sections that carry a sense of ritualistic weight. Belle Obscurité’s guitar lines stand as the backbone of the album, always weaving patterns that feel timeless in their simplicity yet evocative in effect. Fëa-Morgûl’s vocals, harsh and commanding, add a human presence to the storm, cutting through the instrumental layers with an anguished rasp that feels authentic rather than stylized.

The rhythm section ties everything together with focus and strength. Maledictus Der Noctis on drums provides steady pacing, often shifting between pounding blasts and restrained, ceremonial rhythms. H.Ulfv’s bass supports the guitars with a thick undercurrent that gives the sound depth. The production is raw and balanced, rough to stay true to the underground roots but clear enough for the melodic side.

Lyrically and musically, there is a strong sense of unity. Themes of triumph, misanthropy, distant echoes, and ritual flow through the tracklist, giving the album a coherent arc from start to finish. The inclusion of “Intro” and “Outro” frames the main body of songs, while the final track, “S.V.,” leaves the listener with a lingering sense of mystery and unease.

What makes “Redenção Pelas Chamas” effective is its honesty. This is black metal rooted in authenticity rather than excess. There is atmosphere in abundance, but it comes naturally from the riffs, the rhythms, and the vocal delivery, not from external adornments. It is music that is dedicated, focused, and rooted in tradition, yet with enough spirit to avoid becoming hollow imitation.

Score: 7.5

Schreigarm | Mara Comes And Darkness Shall Reign | Purity Through Fire

 

Formed in 2020, Schreigarm quickly carved out their name within the underground. Though based in Germany, both founding members hail from Ukraine, and that dual heritage is key to their identity. On one hand, their music carries the icy discipline often associated with German black metal. On the other, it bears the spiritual vastness and mystic fire of the Ukrainian scene. Their 2023 debut, “The Mysteries Of Fate”, introduced this union in raw but striking form. Now, with their second album “Mara Comes And Darkness Shall Reign”, the duo presents a grander, more refined vision that fully realizes their potential.

This new work spans eight tracks across forty-eight minutes, a journey as immersive as it is relentless. Schreigarm draws deeply from epic and pagan, with their songwriting built on sweeping structures and a sense of narrative that feels almost ceremonial. The use of multiple vocal styles—ranging from feral rasps to commanding clean lines—gives the album a theatrical edge. Guest contributions, such as the ethereal female voice woven through tracks like “Whispers Of The Blackened Woods” and the spoken role of Mara herself, further broaden the spectrum of expression.

Instrumentally, Schreigarm operate with a grand scale. Guitars weave between biting tremolo and soaring harmonies, while the bass underpins each passage with a steady, grounding force. Keyboards, used sparingly but effectively, lend a ritualistic aura, often glowing beneath the storm of riffs. The drumming, recorded separately by Lycane, adds weight and drive, carrying the songs with shifting tempos that avoid predictability. Every element serves the whole, resulting in a sound vast and cohesive.

What truly sets “Mara Comes And Darkness Shall Reign” apart is its sense of immersion. Each track feels like a world unto itself, yet all are tied together by the concept of darkness, myth, and transformation. The album balances melancholy and triumph, shadow and flame, often within the same song. It is a work that invites full attention: to drift through its atmospheres is to enter a mythic landscape, one built from grief, defiance, and awe.

In the end, Schreigarm’s second album stands as a powerful affirmation of their place in today’s black metal movement. It is ambitious, fully realized, and deeply atmospheric, with an intensity that lingers long after its final moments fade.

Score: 8.5

www.facebook.com/schreigarm
www.purity-through-fire.com