Review Summary: Taking the left-hand path
Over the first quarter of the year, I've been leaning towards black metal in its many forms, whether it be folksy, gothic, sinister or more melodic. Maybe it's a seasonal thing or one of those personal cycles in which we feel more comfortable within a specific style. I don't have a rational explanation, but the fact is that this aesthetic has been my faithful companion these past few months. Bands with recent releases such as Vetur, Blaze of Perdition, Marrasmieli, Vengeful Spectre or Zifir have been in a constant loop, overlapping other metal genres I tend to favor. One of the albums I recently added to my first quarter jam package was
Spectres from the Old World, the latest release from the experienced German black metallers Dark Fortress. Let me start by saying, that despite being acquainted with some of the band's songs, I never had the chance to properly focus on their discography. My recent dive into their portfolio has allowed me not only to value their work, but to better understand the band's evolution over their seven previous albums. Dark Fortress moved from a more traditional melodic black metal signature, reminiscent of the '90s, to more daring adventurous territories.
Stab Wounds,
Séance and
Eidolon mark the transitional period towards the more progressive universe of the band's last two albums.
When analyzing the band's journey, one would expect Dark Fortress to continue
Venereal Dawn's more progressive approach, further emphasizing this latest prog signature. However, surprisingly, the band takes a turn and presents a formula that favors a more straightforward dark facet. This muscular approach is evident in songs such as 'Coalescence', 'Pulling at Threads', but especially in the colossal 'Pazuzu' and 'Spectres from the Old World', which are the album's most massive deliveries and my personal highlights. These four songs musically mirror the intensity Dark Fortress wanted to imbue in
Spectres from the Old World, however this blackened power isn't only embedded in speed, but also in slower moments, as in the behemoth 'In Deepest Time', that includes one of the album's most interesting clean vocals, or 'Pali Aike' and 'Isa', which also carry that slow-paced strength, creating contrast points throughout
Spectres from the Old World. The band is now more focused than ever. One feels the album isn't the result of chance, everything was thought out in detail. This cohesion is not only evident in the remarkable fluidity between songs or in the balanced contrasts of speed, aggression and greater slowness I mentioned earlier, but also in the musicians' top deliveries, in which I would highlight Morean, who puts in his best performance ever. The band's output is also boosted by the bold production which gives it the right coating. Its strong body not only enhances the rhythm section and guitars, but also provides the necessary space for Morean to shine.
With
Spectres from the Old World Dark Fortress took the left-hand path, plunging deep into darkness. However, the experienced Germans made sure to leave the listener an open window wide enough to please both old and new fans. But more importantly, these ghosts from the old world have managed to shape one of their best works to date, and that, my friends, for a band in its twenties, is quite something.
