Darkspace
Dark Space -II


4.0
excellent


Release Date: 02/16/2024 | Tracklist

Review Summary: If you're looking for a typical Darkspace album, look elsewhere.

Darkspace has been a staple in the black metal scene since the early 2000s. Their brand of cosmic atmospheric black metal took the sound that Paysage d'Hiver made famous, put an extraterrestrial spin on it and made their own fantastic sound. Their first 4 albums are all essential atmospheric/ambient black metal albums, but the last one was released a decade ago. That is until now. Darkspace are BACK and boy have they changed.

Dark Space -II is in no way comparable to their previous works. The black metal is still there, but it is just a tiny piece of the whole pie. This album is 100% about atmosphere. If you want riffs, jam the first 4 albums. Riffs are present but they're more used as background noise. Mainly this album's appeal comes in the creepy sci-fi ambient atmosphere and the pitch black frigidness of industrial music. There's almost a freeing feeling to Dark Space -II. Like you've been taken from your every day life and put into some kind of black hole in the solar system with no hope of ever getting out. The vocals are also used as more of a background instrument, sounding as if someone is screaming at you from another dimension as you soar further and further into the abyss. Imagine you're in a spaceship that goes rogue and strands you amongst the stars.

Admittedly, this album is going to be a lot for black metal fans to swallow because there's not much of it present here. However that's not to say that Dark Space -II is devoid of the intensity that you normally get from black metal. This is Darkspace at their most stripped down and minimal. Fans of industrial and drone shouldn't hesitate to give this a listen. Many bands go for the cosmic atmosphere, but none of them pull it off like Darkspace. They are the masters of cosmic music and this album is another great in their classic discography. Even if it is the most different of the bunch.



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user ratings (46)
3.4
great

Comments:Add a Comment 
Hawks
February 17th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Love this album. Can see why people aren't digging but fuck it slayz. M///



Also sorry 2 reviews in one day but had to do it bros.

NightOnDrunkMountain
Contributing Reviewer
February 17th 2024


841 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Three lines in the last paragraph, you have spelled it "Darkspce". Consise text otherwise!



Really like the band and enjoyed listening to the album, I think it doesn't fully take off for me but glad they're back

Hawks
February 17th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Shit nice catch will fix lol. Thanks bro! Glad u dig somewhat.

Crysis
Emeritus
February 17th 2024


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Not sure if I'll like this but I'll give it a go, good review.

Hawks
February 17th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks bro! Let me know what you think.

MantorIV
February 17th 2024


11 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I actually prefer this to the previous albums.

Hawks
February 17th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I think I prefer it to I for sure but not the other 3. Either way it stands as a really great album by itself. M///

Crysis
Emeritus
February 18th 2024


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

This was ok, some interesting moments especially near the end but mostly pretty dull. Good background music, atmosphere is pretty huge and nails the mood they were going for but just not a lot going on here.

Hawks
February 18th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Fair assessment. M///

Hawks
February 18th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Shocked this isn't getting more attention tbh with how prolific a band Darkspace is in the bm scene.

Space Jester
February 18th 2024


11280 Comments


After several listens I don’t really agree with people saying it doesn’t take off at all, maybe it doesn’t in the way you would expect but the way the atmosphere and the drumming and everything gradually build is very satisfying. That moment around the 10:45 where the vocals come in is sick

Space Jester
February 18th 2024


11280 Comments


Also Tobias said in a recent interview that the next one is hopefully not too far off and will be a proper sequel to III I. He also said this is the first one that he composed entirely himself while past albums were a bit more of a group effort. It feels like an evolution of the second track in their demo Dark Space -I

Hawks
February 18th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I agree with you for sure bro. This is engaging as fuck.

Space Jester
February 18th 2024


11280 Comments


Dudes just need to jam it louder

Hawks
February 18th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

It's simple but very powerful.

zaruyache
February 18th 2024


27750 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

should be darkspace -0 since they got 0 riffs

Hawks
February 18th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

There's riffs bro! Maybe just not as many as u would like. ;]

zaruyache
February 18th 2024


27750 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

no blast no lissen

Hawks
February 18th 2024


93615 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I understand for sure lol.

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
February 18th 2024


32179 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

This is thicc and bleak for sure. Traversing now.



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