There has been some excellent symphonic black metal released this fall: Old Machines, Gjallahorn’s Wrath, Maahes, Carach Angren, Argesk, Mystic Circle, Rotting Demise, Mourniaty, The Gloomy Radiance of the Moon, Echoes of Gloom, Execrari, and Withering Soul. 

But if you want something that truly and authentically imbues the 90s nostalgic spirit and sound of Emperor, Gehenna, Ancient, Abigor, Old Man’s Child, old Dimmu Borgir, Obtained Enslavement, and others, the debut from anonymous new act Achathras is the one for you.

Supposedly involving members of the original ’90s scene, Achathras, much like modern bands like Pestilent Hex, Warmoon Lord, Moonlight Sorcery, The Mist From the Mountains, and I Am The Night, is unashamedly influenced by the ’90s second wave black metal scene, and certainly Emperor’s seminal debut, In the Nightside Eclipse.

The song structures, the guitar tone, and the atmosphere all reek of that sound and cement the band members’ alleged past and projects. It’s austere, majestic, and regal, but with a frosty, mystical, and menacing layer that will take you back to 1994. The keyboards, in particular, deliver that classically inspired sound without being full-on bombast or theatrical.

The 43 minutes are comprised of 6 songs and 3 windswept instrumentals, which again really lock into the band’s primary influences.  I  mean, just hit ‘play’ to hear the first intro, “The Weaving of the Worlds” and the first real track “Annoited With Moonfire”, and tell me that doesn’t instantly take you back to “Intro/ Into the Infinity of Thoughts”, especially when the vocals kick in.

And the whole excellent album is that way, carried by ethereal keyboards and chilling, majestic riffs; “A Cerement of Flame”, “Emanation of Chaos”. “The Curse of Supremacy” and 7+ minute “A Lamenting Presence” are all top-notch. And even “The Despiser Triumphant” gets into Emperor’s, later, more complex sound.

And thusly, the perfectly named A Darkness of the Ancient Past is a must-have for fans of the genre.

[Visit the band's website]

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