Duncan Evans, former guitarist for A Forest Of Stars, began his solo career in 2013 and the new album “Prayers For An Absentee” holds a strong dark folk spirit but also showcases an interesting multifaceted songwriting approach.

The uptempo rhythm of “Bring Your Shoulder” relies on recurring acidic & groovy guitar tonalities while the softer arpeggios and the soulful vocal delivery fully express somber emotions.

“Us And Them And You And Me” delivers unusual melodies always fueled by underlying feelings of sadness yet the rhythmic structure is far from monotone as the whole instrumentation embraces eclectic variations with psychedelic accents that lead to a more chaotic borderline dissonant groove.

“Trembling” immediately feels passionate and profoundly melancholic as hazy atmospheres surround the moody guitar melodies and the graceful nostalgic piano phrases, a solid instrumental combo that spontaneously shifts from fragile harmonies to more urgent rhythmic segments.

On “Christabel” there is a bittersweet mood that influences deeply the instrumental work from beginning to end resulting in an elegant blend of darkened guitar melodies and atmospheric vintage organ harmonies.

The closing track “Time” focuses on the pure melancholia evoked by peaceful acoustic arpeggios that allow Duncan’s heartfelt vocal performance to take the spotlight and convey an emotional whirlwind.

Continuing a personal music journey with an evident poetic approach Duncan Evans performs eight prayers transformed into the songs of “Prayers For An Absentee” with an open heart and a taste for minimalist melodies.

It might be difficult to categorize the music style of Nochnoy Dozor, featuring guitarist Manos Georgakopoulos of doom eccentrics Universe217, yet you can easily appreciate the intriguing soundscapes of the self titled debut EP.

There is magic on “Black Hand” as sultry vocals guide the listeners through a sophisticated sonic realm where peaceful piano melodies spontaneously lead to somber atmospheres and melancholia infused guitar harmonies that contribute to build a dreamy mood.

The minimalist approach on “Stains” certainly favors the enchanting vocals accompanied by the right dose of soothing guitar melodies that will eventually lead to a more energetic rhythmic crescendo.

“Closer” focuses on darker enigmatic dynamics as guitar melodies seem to echo through nocturnal soundscapes and vocals feel particularly bewitching fiercely cutting through the grim atmospheric layers.

The final track “Ben-Hur” begins with ethereal arrangements and soft vocals creating a suspenseful mood, soon heavier doom influenced guitar riffs will drastically amplify dismal tonalities and macabre vibes yet the band also maintains a constant surreal mood with loads of ambient atmospheres.

What Nochnoy Dozor has crafted is absolutely captivating and this debut EP has what it takes to attract the audience and trigger curiosity about what the band has in mind for the next music endeavor.

What enigmatic British project Nhor has concocted during last year is quite unique as four separate “Wildflowers” cassette tapes were released in very limited quantities, each depicting one of the four seasons. Now Prophecy Productions/Lupus Lounge have compiled “Spring”, “Summer”, “Autumn” and “Winter” together with an additional unreleased track for each season for a total of 100 minutes of music available on vinyl.

“Wildflowers” could not sound more poetic and emotional as the poignant piano melodies, bearing a refined classical inspiration and crystalline nuances, on these songs are performed with a rare spontaneity. Stripped of any special effects or loud distortions “Wildflowers” blooms in a drifting ethereal sonic world where everything flows like a dream, at times channeling immense melancholy or decadent romanticism or even luminous hopefulness, often chasing shadows in the night and always capturing images and feelings that otherwise might become fading memories.

Far from being an average album and dedicated to an open minded audience willing to enter the fragile dreamy world that Nhor has created,“Wildflowers” represents a different music experience best enjoyed under the moonlight watching the stars.  

Schwadorf and Helm of Empyrium always work on new music ideas and this time their project Noekk returns with the mythical acoustic tonalities of “Carol Stones and Elder Rock”, a limited 7-inch single in advance of their fourth album which will be released in 2019.

“A Loss” gives you a brief yet absolutely intense blast of melancholia with calm piano melodies, airy atmospheres and whispered vocals.

“Pan” is full of darkened atmospheres and a series of gentle arpeggios that follow odd tempo signatures leading to eclectic prog textures with a slightly folk mood while vocals become increasingly dramatic.

“A Vision” is another short tune that offers dreamy autumnal vibes with laid back magical acoustic phrases and hazy atmospheres.

“Archaic Tune” fully embodies the magical atmospheric mystique of the whole album yet the acoustic guitar passages become more intricate with extra prog dynamics and solemn vocals naturally evoke ethereal poetic vibes.

The fascinating acoustic nuances of “Carol Stones and Elder Rock” will warm your heart and leave you wondering about the future music endeavors of Noekk.

German bands Farsot and ColdWorld joined forces to dedicate the new split album ”Toteninsel” to the Austrian Symbolist Arnold Böcklin’s most famous and mysterious painting Toteninsel (“isle of the dead”).

On “Erde I” Farsot hypnotizes the audience with the peaceful feelings channeled by darkly gentle arpeggios floating through dreamy atmospheres yet this soothing calm will often fade into a blackened sonic void where desperate growls and distorted guitar riffs become the main focus.

“Erde II” maintains a dark mysterious aura yet Farsot choose to focus exclusively on the minimalist beauty of soft acoustic guitar phrases and refined atmospheric crescendos.

On “Wasser I” ColdWorld creates elegant harmonies and subtle atmospheres that constantly evoke ethereal seaside soundscapes yet there is also a darker momentum featuring melancholic distorted guitar riffs.

“Wasser II” becomes harsh and notably heavier as blackened guitar riffs take the spotlight and the atmosphere inevitably acquires gelid tonalities which match the arcane old school black metal mood yet ColdWorld still delivers some contemplative melodic segments.

“Toteninsel” dwells in a rather dark sonic realm where Farsot and ColdWorld comfortably express monochromatic emotions and naturally follow their signature music pathway.

 

Canadian atmospheric black metal stalwarts Finnr’s Cane are ready to reach the next milestone in their music journey with the third album “Elegy”.

You can perceive the emotional nature of “Willow” since the very beginning as dreamy atmospheric textures and uplifting melodies surround and embrace the obscure dynamics of the blackened rhythmic momentum.  

The title track amplifies the dark aspects of the album as somber guitar riffs slowly build surreal dreadful soundscapes accompanied by soothing vocal harmonies that will eventually become distant desperate screams through multiple waves of mournful guitar melodies.

“Empty City” is a heartfelt highly atmospheric music piece where refined orchestral arrangements become the main focus crafting peaceful harmonies spontaneously followed by sentimental piano melodies and minimalist gentle acoustic guitars.

“A Sky Of Violet And Pearl” feels more enigmatic as the initial mix of primordial blackened guitar riffs and dismal growls will depict the most somber scenario dragging the listeners into a realm of supreme darkness yet later the song will embrace a dreamy soundscape with a generous dosage of undiluted melancholia channeled by delicate piano & strings phrases.

In the midst of sheer desolation Finnr’s Cane aim to broaden their music vision to ultimately create a unique sonic experience on “Elegy” which definitely contains familiar elements of extreme metal but focuses on a wider range of contrasting feelings and tonalities.

Featuring former Agalloch members Don Anderson on guitar, Jason Walton on bass and Aesop Dekker on drums alongside former Giant Squid guitarist / vocalist Aaron John Gregory the new band Khôrada is ready to rise with the intricate debut album “Salt” and the spontaneous desire to explore diverse music styles.

“Edeste” can often favor delicate shades of melancholy with comforting darkened instrumental passages and mystical atmospheric arrangements but there is a heavier enigmatic spirit that will inevitably demand attention with gritty riffing galore and scratchy vocals.

“Seasons Of Salt” might borrow the dismal strength of doom metal but doesn’t necessarily follow any particular composition rules and rather puts together refreshing yet extremely dark melodies with underlying mysterious vibes fueled by a shimmering dominant guitar work.

“Water Rights” can easily reach an atmospheric gloomy acme enhanced by dramatic vocals evoking obscure feelings that easily match the darkened melodic guitar progressions as well as the recurring more aggressive rhythmic intensity.

“Ossify” feels particularly ambitious with a taste for decadent atmospheres and surreal soundscapes but this time guitars focus greatly on an intriguing series of elegant kaleidoscopic melodic moments that seamlessly embrace theatrical tonalities or even restless faster rhythmic crescendos and become the indisputable highlight of this lengthy track.

Among new names to check out in the current underground metal scene this year Khôrada will certainly stand out with the challenging often uneasy sonic vision behind “Salt”, an album that will require multiple thorough listening sessions to embrace its inner adventurous soul and dramatic energy.

Khorada Salt

King Dude guitarist Tosten Larson and engineer Shawn Flemming new musical outlet The Dark Red Seed last year released the enigmatic debut EP “Stands with Death” and now the band is ready to truly reveal a unique music manifesto with the full length “Becomes Awake”.

This intense music journey begins with the mystical tonalities of “Dukkha” soon followed by a mix of crunchy guitar riffs and lavish fuzzy melodies that accompany heartfelt vocals but there are also avant-garde moments featuring dissonant saxophone & synths dynamics that effortlessly enhance the mysterious mood.

“Darker Days” offers familiar dark folk nuances with intricate acoustic phrases and a profound melancholy yet this track features minimalist and absolutely captivating grooves skillfully amplified  by another round of dissonant multi instrumental progressions.

On “Ancient Sunrise” surreal soundscapes are influenced by exotic music flavors with mystical chants floating through shimmering minimalist acoustic passages which will be further adorned by dreamlike atmospheres and horns.

“The Destroyer” gradually guides you through a grim atmospheric maze where vocals acquire a gloomy poetic delivery following a soft passionate melodic crescendo featuring the alluring beauty of strings, graceful acoustic guitars and occasional epic trumpets.  

The darkened rhythm of “Awakening” will ensure a trance state with a steady enigmatic rhythmic crescendo spontaneously crafted by calm atmospheric arrangements and vibrat guitar melodies.

“Diana And Ouroboros Dance” begins with psychedelic distortions that introduce a contemplative mood made of slow burning guitar melodies but the inner chaotic soul of the song is bound to emerge with enticing saxophone passages, wilder vocals and a final charismatic dissonant  momentum.

Becomes Awake

In the neofolk scene German band Hekate certainly has acquired an elite status which will be re-confirmed with the long awaited new release “Totentanz”

A shroud of darkness descends as “The Old King” opens the album with apocalyptic atmospheric arrangements that will later evolve into a more poetic yet absolutely somber acoustic crescendo enriched by soothing vocals.

“Lost And Broken” maintains grave tonalities within impeccable acoustic guitar melodies that contribute to the creation of surreal soundscapes effortlessly enhanced by reverb and lavish atmospheric layers.

The epic atmospheres and tribal percussions of “Ascension Day” clearly channel authentic neofolk elements as acoustic passages create a sense of natural peace yet synths and narrative samples tend to amplify the apocalyptic elements of the song.

The title track becomes a nocturnal hymn with obsessively minimalist rhythmic patterns and strong gothic nuances that sinuously embrace the increasing intensity of the dramatic vocals. “Desire” feels like a medieval dance or a pagan chant as magical folk melodies take the center stage to evoke mystical and ancestral energy amplified by sumptuous atmospheres and neco-classical tones.

“Am Meere” dwells in an archaic realm where industrial synths and folk acoustic passages embrace to craft unique melodies and enigmatic atmospheres with a distinct theatrical delivery,

“Totentanz” shines for the sophisticated melodies and attention for details that fully evoke the darkest nuances of neofolk as Hekate skillfully creates an hypnotic collection of songs.
Totentanz

Led by mastermind Simone H. Salvatori Italian trio Spiritual Front returns with the first new work of music in eight years poetically entitled “Amour Braque” which evokes all the decadent nuances of the band’s nihilist suicide pop manifesto.

It’s easy to embrace the languid melodies of “Tenderness Through Violence” that becomes exquisitely romantic & decadent when the pure beauty of strings joins the melodic guitar phrases and the smooth melancholic vocal delivery.

That feeling of melancholia is extremely amplified on “The Abyss Of Heaven” which maintains a neofolk ballad mood with darkened guitar passages and echoes of distant trumpets that build lovely atmospheric soundscapes as well as subtle epic vibes.

“Children Of The Black Light” dwells in a darker gothic sonic realm where minimalist guitar melodies and shimmering strings join forces to create moody harmonies and intriguing rhythmic variations enhanced by the understated gloomy romance constantly evoked by intense vocals.

“Pain Is Love” is another decadent anthem filled of polychromatic emotions fully expressed by softly dark melodic guitars which march gracefully in the midst of elegant atmospheric arrangements.

The warm melodic essence of “Beauty Of Decay” continues to maintain a ballad style minimal rhythm with a soothing ensemble of guitar and strings but certainly doesn’t sacrifice that delicious combo of darkness and nihilism that characterizes the entire album.

With another round of charismatic & catchy melodies “Devoted To You” shines for the heartfelt somber vocals that are obviously telling a story of love and endless pain while guitars and strings craft darkly romantic textures.

You will instantly fall in love with the undiluted gloomy magic of “Vladimir Central” as moody guitars and piano effortlessly create a hymn to pure melancholia and a genuine declaration of love enriched by a darkened vocal delivery and an addictively catchy chorus.

Spiritual Front’s sixth full-length album “Amour Braque” is a collection of dark catchy ballads telling stories of love & sex with remarkable neofolk vibes destined to attract a niche but passionately devoted audience.