Review Summary: as mystic and brooding as its artwork
If there’s a band that’s about to explode in the black metal community, it has to be Downfall of Nur. Their sophomore release through Avantgardemusic is nothing short of colossal, with icy cold riffs and frightening screams that wouldn’t feel out of place on any Paysage D’Hiver demo. However, the band are anything but one dimensional. You can expect a steady barrage of bagpipes and synths to ease you into some of the most ominous sounds you’ll hear this year.
Despite delivering some of the most sinister vocals I’ve heard in the genre on
Umbras de Barbagia, the vocalist also demonstrates a surprising amount of range and variety. One minute, he spews angry and indecipherable lyrics, and he sounds undeniably somber the next. What’s fascinating, however, is that it all
works. Not once throughout this beast of an album does the band’s sound start to grow weary. In fact, the first few tracks act as convincing stepping stones, only encouraging the listener to venture further into the misty, Nordic landscape.
From the opening sounds of a gloomy storm to the carefully placed Celtic influences, Downfall of Nur take their time on
Umbras de Barbagia to create a palpable atmosphere that never feels contrived or forced. The listener is truly placed into the landscape on the album’s cover, where dark clouds threaten to swallow everything in sight. Although there are five parts to the album, the entire thing feels connected as if it’s one vast, concrete entity. Whether it be the gorgeous piano build-up in standout track ‘The Golden Age’ or the haunting synths that penetrate the title track, there’s no escaping the firm grasp of Downfall of Nur’s latest creation. Thankfully, it’s not such a bad place to get trapped in.
