From the icy woodlands of Italy, the ancient forests and snow-capped mountains, the tremolo-driven riffs and furious drums are layered in the eleven tracks. The newest chapter is a fine continuation that approaches the peaks of the previous album; musically, it aligns with the medieval atmosphere in a dramatic flow of cinematic passages. “Picenum (True Marchigian Black Metal Renaissance)” is divided into three parts: the first is dedicated to the history and the very dark legends of the region Marche; the second part is dedicated to the folklore and legends of lu lupu mannà (the Marchigian werewolf), the Mazzamurello (a dark Marchigian sprite), and the Sdrega (the Marchigian witch).

The first part of this album showcases the classic influences on 80s extreme metal, shedding light on the songwriting aspects from the proto black metal riffs that are prominent on “1375, La Lega Maledetta: I Signori Da Varano Si Ribellano Alla Chiesa”, and “Castrum Pitini: II Castello Sopra La Necropoli Picena E Il Cimitero”—the bone-cutting riffing and the cold ambient synth craft an enthralling spectacle of Pagan black metal aggression. The lyrical aesthetics, compositions, and themes are derived from the previous album.

Hesperus, this time, gives plenty of space for the songs to shine; the harsh blizzard of furious drums shows the intricacy of the craft, and the keyboards are absolutely chilling and saturated with the dark medieval themes. The songs are diverse, as you can hear many folk elements fused into the music, and are bolstered with blistering tremolo riffs. The shrieking vocals of Hesperus capture all the intensity, with epic synth passages; the twisting guitar tempos and crushing drums encapsulate the rawness of extreme proto-black metal on tracks like “La Leggenda Della Roccaccia: Il Necromante Signore Della Guerra” and “Lu Lupu Mannà”.

The cinematic references to epic movies reveal the quality of the grand musical arrangements that have been a facet of the medieval vision and allow the listener to journey through these cold, icy landscapes. The clean guitars are effectively layered over a barrage of tremolo riffing, despite the recurring ambient parts which somehow lead into a slow burn; yet there is a lot to like here.

From the clean guitar strings to the spoken words. The album has a depth that makes it a cinematic experience amid the turmoil of boisterous guitars and frostbitten blast beats, with complex tempo changes that are engaging throughout. And plenty of multi-layered elements let you embrace the musical trademark.

The vocal layering is the most amazing work here; the keyboards evoke an ancient majesty, resulting in the unique blend that conjures different styles of atmospheric pagan black metal. Tracks like “La Sdrega” and “Il Sentiero Delle Fate, Atto I: L’ira Della Sibilla A Colfiorito” deliver pure 90s black metal moments and majestic atmospheric passages that somehow resemble bands like Evilfeast and Satyricon.

Hesperia offers frosty Norwegian elements, making you feel as if you are standing alone near a medieval castle in a cold winter land, surrounded by ancient spirits while winds howl. The dynamics are masterfully executed, including the layering of tremolo riffs and slower tempos, moving from aggressive sections to moments when the keyboards are backed by an acoustic guitar, creating a frosty medieval ambience.

The final part of this album is the longest; each track is stretched to seven, nine, and twelve minutes, and they are perfectly delivered to ride the folk fairy tales of haunting forests and stories about the woodlands, witches, and caves buried deep within these timeless landscapes.

The song structures, with their alternating dynamics, give the compositions breathing room; songs like “Il Sentiero Delle Fate, Atto II: Le Fate Caprine Non-Si Accorsero Dell’alba”, and “Il Paradiso Della Regina Sibilla, Atto I: L’arrivo Del Cavaliere A. De La Sale A Mons Daemoniacus” serve an atmospheric and epic depth for the album.

The slow-paced songs have some of the most nostalgic folk influences on the entire album, and the keyboards, which are very soothing ambient pieces that create melodies, echo in hypnotic moments over layers of arrangements. Another standout track is “Il Paradiso Della Regina Sibilla, Atto II: Il Racconto Del Cavaliere Tedesco Che Tornò E Rimase Nel Regno Della Sibilla”, which contains a lot of melodies, choral work, clean guitars, and even many ambient and folk elements that are very catchy; the guitars bring the freezing winter riffs.

The only issue with this album is that it feels inconsistent and the musical variations subdue the blistering tempos. Most of the songs fall within the mid-paced tempo range. I would have preferred it if the folk elements and ambient parts were arranged on separate tracks. The riffing mainly consists of tremolo guitar parts, backed by synth lines. But if you enjoy this kind of complex music, then you will surely embrace this work of art.

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