This is a German duo of classically-minded black metal musicians doing what they do best: serving up some heartfelt, passionate, melodic / ambient black metal. One immediate comparison is Empyrium, with soft strings, gentle, subtle keyboards and an epic scope to the depth of the guitars. With musical tales of ancient melancholy, heathen beauty and medieval pride, each track is long enough to allow for aggressive passages to explode at the key moments. I’m not completely convinced by the part-whispered / screeched vocals (actually much softer than that sounds on paper!), but the more typical BM vocals (including excellent spoken-word passages and chanting) are superb. Militaristic elements beneath overlapping screams and yelps remind, in an odd but fantastic way, of Diamanda Galas. There are some truly superb classic symphonic BM moments bringing to mind old Emperor, Arcturus and even Limbonic Art at times. There is a clear doom element at play, with ultra-melodic passages that remind wonderfully of Nightside –era Emperor or old Dimmu, and extended string solos that would sit comfortably within the Lord of the Rings (think the more subtle side of Falkenbach). This is an outstanding release.