Review Summary: burning my firmament rn
Downfall of Nur is an Argentinian atmospheric black metal project helmed by Italian-born Antonio Sanna. Back in 2015, the project’s debut
Umbras De Barbagia absolutely tore through the underground scene — a record praised for its emotional depth, rich folk influences, dramatic crescendos, incredible biting blackened riffs and vocals, and the way it blended Sardinian history and mysticism into sweeping, cinematic black metal. It felt very ancient and spiritual. Now, over a decade later, Downfall Of Nur finally returns with a new full-length, the mouthful
And the Firmament Will Burn to Quench the Pain of This Earth — and the scale, ambition, and atmosphere have only grown darker and more all-consuming.
The opener and other interludes set the stage with a haunting, cult-like ambience. It feels like stumbling into the underground chambers of the robed figures on the album art. These pieces hum, whisper, and coil around you, laying the groundwork for the ritualistic atmosphere that defines the entire record. The first major eruption comes with
“Beyond the Transcendent Darkness”. The intensity ramps up and up until it finally detonates into fiery drumming, blast beats, and an occult, almost ceremonial atmosphere. Violins cut through the noise, adding emotional urgency over the fuzzy, blackened tremolos. It’s all pretty dramatic.
“Underground Halls of the Oldest Goddess Stronghold” is probably my favourite track here and continues that sense of scale. The guitars scorch and sear while layers of atmosphere pull you into these subterranean depths. Despite the extended run-times, with these tracks all going over 10 minutes, it’s easy to get lost in the emotion and atmosphere — and the climax here is enormous. Everything cascades at once: the drumming becomes almost deafening, cymbals crashing, riffs surging, and then it all culminates as this spoken passage in Italian gets beckoned over it. It’s one of the most immersive and heart-stopping moments on the entire album.
The title track brings more huge riffs and another long atmospheric section where clouds rumble and violins stir in the distance making you feel like you're in the eye of a storm. There’s a single majestic guitar hook here — you’ll know the one — and it’s so good that you can’t help but wish it was actually more prominent here.
And there are only really 3
actual full metal tracks here, as the closer
“Deliverance” is a full 20-minute plunge into pure atmosphere. Synths hum, swell, and darken over it's duration. It’s dark, swirling and enveloping. I kept waiting for it to explode into black metal fury and riffage, but instead it descends deeper into almost dungeon synth territory with ominous, mystic keys that conjure images of of wandering through forgotten ruins. It makes you feel like you’re in a place that
you should not be. It’s a really fantastic piece of atmosphere if you have the patience for it, but it’s definitely a mood piece rather than a climax.
Compared to the debut,
And The Firmament Will Burn.... leans even harder into atmosphere over action. There are only 3 actual metal tracks here, which all create an enveloping, suffocating world; but while they are longer than those on the debut, it also means there’s less of the blood-pumping, epic black metal that made
Umbras De Barbagia so electrifying. Maybe I am under selling this a little with the rating. I personally preferred the debut’s balance and greater instrumental variety — but still, the atmosphere on this new record is among the strongest, darkest, and most powerful you’ll hear in black metal this year.
