Count Vornok begins the new year with the first part of the “Age of Blight” trilogy with “Guided By The Light of Felrisian’s Staff”
There are certain things that grab my attention for example an album/artist described as Ancient and Arcane Dungeon Black Metal and then you start to listen and the opening narration on the opening track “An introduction: Born of the Dungeon Black” is none other than Mortiis then you know that you’re onto a winning formula.
The thundering tones of “A New Age of Darkness” blended in with the synth tones have me already mentally adding this to my tape collection should this ever get a physical release with is then only strengthened by my highlight track of the album “Vasdotten” as it’s a perfect example of everything you would expect by looking at the artwork alone. The harmonic parts that run through this catapult back to my youth and it’s almost as if I’m rediscovering black metal for the first time.
The album then becomes very raw and low-fi with “The White Spire” the slow foreboding tempo blends incredibly well into the release, this spills into the next track “Storm Apostate” which has some nice battle-ready drum patterns.
Another track that stands out for me is “The Dreadwolf Roams” again the steady pace and synth elements pair incredibly well and is something I will never tire of and when this is mixed with the speed of “Veil Fire” it confirms my feelings about this album, especially as this track also has the ethereal elements I have already mentioned and felt very favourably about.
The final part of the album concludes with the trilogy of “Abyssal Rift” “Mouth of Echoes” and “Glass Forest Exile” now the first track in these three needs its own mention as I have listened to it many times and I keep coming back to Cradle of Filth’s “One Final Graven Kiss” as it gives me the same sensation as when I first heard in the ’90s and even today so to find another track that does that is rare.
A great start to this trilogy, it’s engulfed in magic and mayhem, and I will be fully invested in the follow-ups.
Check out Count Vornok’s Bandcamp HERE
Review by Rick Eaglestone
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