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/:: Artist :: Vargrav ::\
:: Album :: The Nighthold ::
:: Year :: 2023 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CD . ::
:: Label :: Werewolf Records R.date :: 2024-12-08 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: EVIL-106 S.date :: 2023-12-15 __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 269kbps :..
. Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo .
. Size :: 120.84MB .
. .
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 1. Moonless Abyss of the Nighthold 2:26 ::
:: 2. Through the Woods of Breathing Shadows 5:43 ::
:: 3. Chalice of Silver and Blood 5:49 ::
:: 4. Thy Imperial Malice 4:31 ::
:: 5. Curse of the Plaguewood Lake 2:02 ::
:: 6. Encircle the Spectral Dimension 5:48 ::
:: 7. Triumph of the Nightbringer 6:21 ::
:: 8. Into the Shadow Crypts 3:52 ::
:: 9. The One Who Lurks Beyond the Starscape 3:56 ::
:: 10. A Dark Consecration 5:05 ::
:: 11. Creator of the True Realm 4:08 ::
:: 12. Ghostlands 9:42 ::
:: ::
:: ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 59:23 ..
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+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: Well, well, well, time sure flies by, right? It feels like it ::
:: was just a couple of weeks ago when I heard and reviewed ::
:: Encircle the Spectral Dimension, the latest EP of Finnish ::
:: symphonic black metal band Vargrav. Little did I know that a ::
:: third full-length album The Nigthold was going to be released ::
:: on December 15th at the doorstep of the Winter season, and here ::
:: we are at last, finally able to enter the draconic castle ::
:: shrouded in purple mist, haunted by wraiths and gargoyles. Are ::
:: you ready to once again experience the cosmic and stellar ::
:: epicness of VargravÆs music? If you are, stay awhile and ::
:: listenà ::
:: ::
:: As the wicked witches giggle and their venomous brews burst ::
:: with bubbles on the opening instrumental track ôMoonless Abyss ::
:: of the Nightholdö, you hear the violins and keyboards building ::
:: the tension and atmosphere of The Nighthold, all the while ::
:: slowly descending in the realm of the crimson dragon. Once ::
:: again, the epicness of Vargravcs music does not fail to amuse, ::
:: because once again you hear the cosmic and stellar beauty of ::
:: their symphonic black metal majesty with tremolo picking riffs, ::
:: blast beat, double-bass or mid-tempo drumming, WerwolfÆs harsh ::
:: frozen vocals and that beautiful melancholic sound from the ::
:: keyboards. The album maintains the draconic energy with its ::
:: stylistic consistency from one track to another, all the while ::
:: each track feels like an epic composition with a strong ::
:: emphasis on storytelling through music. The music keeps the ::
:: imagination going at all times, even with two more ambient ::
:: instrumentals äCurse of the Plaguewood Lakeô and ôInto the ::
:: Shadow Cryptsö, both of which further continue to build up the ::
:: general feeling of The Nighthold while also starting a new ::
:: chapter between songs. ItÆs amazing how the album gradually ::
:: gets better and progressively chaotic the further it goes, ::
:: especially when you get to the fine banger tunes such as äThe ::
:: One Who Lurks Beyond the Starscapeö. The biggest praise that ::
:: this album would obviously get besides the black metal ::
:: instrumental work is the symphonic touches of the keyboards, ::
:: which convey such an array of emotions next to the majestic ::
:: atmosphere that is reminiscent of bands such as early Dimmu ::
:: Borgir, Emperor, Odium, Limbonic Art and Diabolical Masquerade. ::
:: There are some rather surprising moments as well, that being ::
:: the unexpected tender guitar solo section on the eleventh track ::
:: äCreator of the True Realô which sounds like itÆs coming from a ::
:: Steve Vai song, but a very fun inclusion nonetheless. I have to ::
:: say that the album also ends on a very high note with the ::
:: closing track äGhostlandsô, yet another ambient instrumental ::
:: that is 9 minutes and 43 seconds like, giving you an impression ::
:: like youÆve reached the closing credits of an epic movie. ::
:: ::
:: Like I said, there seems to be some strong emphasis on ::
:: storytelling through music, even the instrumental tracks and ::
:: symphonic elements feel like theyÆre inspired by soundtracks ::
:: from fantasy video games like Neverwinter Nights, Divinity: ::
:: Original Sin II, Dragon Age: Origins or similar, especially ::
:: since the atmosphere of these tracks create such an environment ::
:: in your head, which is even more hyped up with the brilliant ::
:: album cover by indonesian artist Johny Prayogi. I wouldnÆt be ::
:: surprised if it turned out that there was a strong influence ::
:: from video game and perhaps film music that were subconsciously ::
:: laying in the blackened minds of V-Khaoz and Werwolf. Just like ::
:: on the previously released EP Encircle the Spectral Dimension, ::
:: Vargrav had an extra backup from two contributing guest ::
:: members, that being Marko Tarvonen on drums and Henri ::
:: äTrollhornô Sorvali on guitars and bass, both of whom have done ::
:: a great job on this album along with of V-Khaoz on keyboards ::
:: and Werwolf on vocals. The sound production sounds grand and ::
:: powerful, and yet very in style of many 90Æs black metal albums ::
:: in similar style. ::
:: ::
:: I believe that The Nightold manages to fulfill the high ::
:: expectations, which were briefly teased with the Encircle the ::
:: Spectral Dimension EP. It is a fine album that is worth ::
:: listening from start to finish, without ever losing track of ::
:: what is going on and always being on the edge of your seats ::
:: wondering what is going to happen next. Like I said before, ::
:: Vargrav stands the test of time, and The Nighthold is both like ::
:: a fine wine and a living proof that they indeed deserved their ::
:: status of worship. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
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