“Enter the realm of darkness and nightmares through the vast scenery, through the hidden portal of the night side, enter the shadowy castle that lurks beneath the cold gibbous moon, and behold the game of shadows where the otherworldly creatures take you by the hand and lead you to your fate.”

The album’s opening orchestration, ‘Invocation from the Abyss (Intro)’, evokes the image of a misty landscape of a mysterious haunted castle. The spooky keyboards act as a perfect setting for ghostly beings standing across the desolate terrain. The music is creepy and viciously intriguing, weaving somber and ghastly rasps that show what the album is about.

From the horror-struck keyboards and subtle guitar undercurrents, the drums follow the speed of the riffing, which is mostly slow and fast throughout. ‘Through Night and Storm’ and ‘Veil of Obscurity’ take the listener into haunting and suspenseful moments infused with a palpable gothic vibe that sometimes comes close to bands like Bishop of Hexen.

All instruments, the blazing guitars, drums and vocals are of the highest quality. The debut album delivers some of the best symphonic black metal music in the genre. The rasping vocals are menacing while the tremolo picking provides an excellent backing to furious drums, while the symphonic/melodic elements manage to sound heavy and atmospheric.

You will feel trapped in haunting dream sequences and eerie nightmares; once the orchestration begins to swell in the song ‘Rise’. The drumming execution is powerful and brutal, but there seems to be less emphasis on blast beats. Instead, the riffing is conveyed perfectly to provide melodic layers to the sinister shrieking. When the synth creates textures, the riffs remain powerful; Nino Đurić shows his talent and various musical structures on ‘Shadow Embrace’.

The uplifting riffs pack a powerful punch, showcasing an aggressive approach, and sometimes they come subtly and lightly in the mix with chugging riffs adding a layer of brutality. At times, the music reminds me of the old Castlevania game. While the synth is mostly layered and omnipresent, the melancholic and gothic romantic atmosphere is one of sheer beauty on this record.

The guitar plays more than a complementary role; the drums execute perfectly. The pacing, bringing several tempos and variations on ‘Buried in the Past’ which features a memorable bass guitar line. The symphonic parts are very dark and cinematic. ‘Eternal Darkness’ builds to a crescendo of a nightmare. The piano passage gives a cold, haunting gothic vibe, as the furious drumming section unleashes a full force of blast beats.

The foggy production is another aspect where songs like ‘Only the Strong Prevail’ combine a chilling atmosphere, pounding drums and blast beats backed by scathing tremolo-picked riffs.

Ludus Umbrarum draws inspiration from bands like early Dimmu Borgir, Bishop of Hexen and early Old Man’s Child. It is a high-quality symphonic black metal album that showcases the calmer melodic and dark atmospheric quality created as genuine sonic art that makes each passing minute worthy of your time.

‘Purgatory’ and the final track ‘Echoes of the Fallen Realm (Outro)’ reveal an affinity for majestic and haunting bombast. The symphonic effects, when combined with the demented piano notes, come to an unforgettable crescendo with tremolo guitars, screeching vocals and blasting drums to bring the song to an epic closure.

The songs exude an enigmatic feel, slithering from heaviness to sweeping symphonic beauty. All instruments are brilliantly executed, even in the instrumental outro. The composer delivers a haunting soundscape of cold industrial gothic music.

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