Iceland is quickly becoming a burgeoning center for extraordinary underground metal and Auðn might have what it takes to be one of the leaders of such fervent movement with the new melancholic blackened album “Farvegir Fyrndar”.

Immediately “Veröld Hulin” evokes wintry mesmerizing atmospheres with arcane drum beats and soft arpeggios leading straight to a primordial ensemble of blackened guitar riffs and distant ominous growls that never truly overpower the inner melodic nuances.

“Lífvana Jörð” channels immense melancholy with ethereal guitar melodies bearing a remarkable crestfallen mood that continues to emerge throughout the entire song even if enraged vocals and faster guitar driven patterns often acquire particularly obscure tonalities.

“Haldreipi Hugans” continues to balance darkly poetic melodies and a mysterious blackened force as slow gentle harmonies are simply entwined to a massive dosage of aggressive guitar riffs and drums.

With similar bleak yet charismatic melodic textures “Ljósaslæður” gains hypnotizing power through surreal minimalist guitars and gloomy atmospheres that simply surround the harsher blackened core.

With crispy instrumental clarity “Skuggar” features a graceful crescendo of darkly captivating melodies genuinely evoking a rather emotional sonic palette that persists even through the scattered traditional black metal ferocious moments.

Channeling absolute darkness and multifaceted atmospheric black metal “Farvegir Fyrndar” holds the beloved Nordic mix of ethereal melodies and cold heavier sonic assaults as Auðn carefully weaves the elements of an essential winter soundtrack.