Although I’m not a fan of folk black metal, the music on the third album is captivating. The atmosphere is focused on tremolo guitars, and soaring melodies create the ambient, atmospheric sound of black metal. The length of each song ranges from seven to twelve minutes and contains four mesmerizing tracks, rendering a cold aspect to the musical landscape.

The opening track, “The Cailleach”, which somehow reminds me of bands like Vemod and Drudkh. The music is balanced between harsh, melancholic black metal vocals and more traditionally raw guitars and blast beats, with the four songs emphasizing a gloomy and somber aura.

Andy Marshall draws inspiration from underground black metal; these guitar melodies certainly unfold into something passionate while the lead guitars carry you on an everlasting journey. Often, the tempo changes combine majestic guitar sections and subtle strings in slower moments, and this is where the atmosphere becomes dark.

Next is “Embers of the Fading Age”, which combines swirling hypnotic tremolos that are richly textured to provide gorgeous atmospheric elements while still adding depth and richness to the slow drum patterns. These elements unfurl a sense of coldness and mystery when you listen to the depth of the music. I can only say that the songs become lusher and more textured with cold icicles of ambient atmosphere filled with a delicately catchy tremolo riffing.

Tremolo galore and synth, which gives the songs an icy flavoring palette, evokes the style of Quebecois black metal bands such as Forteresse. The aggressive drumming on the third track, “Possessed by Starlight”, brings a sharp guitar tone to this song. Melodic soundscapes and blistering drums at the forefront, with cold and icy rhythm guitar work. Some of the riffing is raw like underground black metal music; nevertheless, the keyboards add an ambient feel, not to mention the harsh growls.

The song ranges between raw riffing and blast beats, with a haunting atmosphere. The tremolo is beautifully crafted throughout the album, and it’s the most fitting aspect of the music, since the vocal lines are not many; this is the same that can be said about the keyboards, which are scarcely used in some passages.

The final track, “The Sluagh”, begins at a notably blistering speed and gets furious in pace with piercing guitar; the tonal variety shifts later to combine a cold, melancholic atmosphere with mid-tempo and chilling guitars. There are slower moments throughout to create an ambient aura that perfectly matches the album’s theme. The slow drumming in the background layered over shimmering synth is one of the highlights of this epic song, and then shifts into a faster section, the drums sounding more direct and raw.

The aggressive drums work perfectly within the context of the song, and the synth manages to evoke the atmospheric aspect of the final moments. Maybe a bit more variation could have been added to the songs, but in general, this is a fine release by the Scottish atmospheric black metal band.

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