Mørke

Adventum Diaboli is a band I have seen popping up a few times but somehow, I never really jumped into their music. To be totally honest when I saw them tagged as depressive black metal, I was reluctant as this particular sub-genre is one I do not visit that often. There are a few bands I enjoy, and I also like it when some elements are woven into a more traditional approach. Thanks to YouTube and its algorithm the newest output “Mørke” popped up one day so I took the chance and gave it a listen. And what can I say? I was very positively surprised. As I am not familiar with the earlier stuff, I cannot come up with any comparisons but what I can state is that this is a very well-made piece of blackened art. If I had to define a certain sub-genre I would classify this album as a cold and more Scandinavian than Greek sounding classic black metal with a lot of atmosphere. The depressive part is subtly integrated, and the melancholic feelings are mainly reflected in the lyrics dealing with inner struggles and existential thoughts.

Unobtrusive time changes, hypnotic riffs and enigmatic melodies make for an unagitated, yet captivating listen. The stylistic device of monotony, which is used as instrument to immerse the listener, gives the track a looping effect. The flow of the music is therefore guaranteed throughout the whole playing time, with only band member Leviathan making sure that despite staying within mid-tempo regions most of the time subtle variations keep the music interesting throughout. Acoustic introductions such as the harmonic prelude to "Air of Despair" are welcome elements to reach this effect. The epic "Γαία Απόκοσμη" is one of the highlights of the record, flowing along rather uniformly and rippling past the listener in a ritualistic, almost soundtrack-like manner while spreading its dark magic. The light-footed piano melody during "De Nihil Philosophia" is a wonderful example of setting the right nuances, and the rhythm changes and tempo variations are catchy and grippingly arranged with the mournful themes giving the music more layers. The symphonic background also fits well into the overall picture and helps Adventum Diaboli to stand out from the pack.

Ultimately, the album scores less with particular innovations. Rather, it is the atmosphere that surrounds you and allows you to sink deeper and deeper into the music. There is a stark contrast to the ferocity often on display with the album being simultaneously full of melodic moments and softer build-ups. Ambient and mystical interludes inject a deep and somber sense of despair and epic adventures amid the heavier guitars and drums, with some of the themes often serving as transition between different song sections. All songs have been expertly crafted, and the album has a great flow with all the single tracks and parts being placed in a coherent way and merged into one great total piece of music. This album is one that is not so much about pure darkness and aggression but can be seen like a natural synthesis of mournful sounds and disparate styles all combined in one bold, enlightened display of unbound creativity. To round things off in nice fashion “Mørke” comes with a great looking artwork and a fitting production. While the drums could be programmed based on the somewhat synthetic feel the overall sound is transparent and dynamic. If you are into well done atmospheric black metal give this one a listen.