#solstafir — Public Fediverse posts

Lamp of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Review

By Tyme

L.A.-based M., the mastermind behind Lamp of Murmuur, has been busy this year. In addition to releasing two other solo projects—Silent Thunder’s EP, Soulspear, and Magus Lord’s full-length, In the Company of Champions—he’s readying to unleash his fourth Lamp of Murmuur long player, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy, this November. Far removed from the very lo-fi, kvltish cassette-only demos of 2019, Lamp of Murmuur has steadily matured over the years. Our resident shark, Carcharodon, had ‘tons of fucking fun’ with 2023’s Saturnian Bloodstorm, highlighting its heavy Immortal influence. When I spied The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy sitting unclaimed in the sump, I reached out to our scrivening squalus, who graciously ceded his seniority, hoping I had as much fun with LoM’s newest outing as he had with its last. Will The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy build off the excitement of Saturnian Bloodstorm, and further M.’s musical momentum, or will we discover that Lamp of Murmuur’s shine has dimmed a bit?

At first blush, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy extends Saturnian Bloodstorm’s thrashing black metal template before wading into waters teeming with new wave and gothic metal elements. Immortal’s influence still lurks amidst M.’s swirling, rapid-fire tremolos and galloping chugs (“Hategate (the Dream-Master’s Realm)”), while twinkling, Këkht Aräkh-like keys lace the guitar-driven melodies on “Forest of Hallucinations,” its intro emitting South of Heaven-era Slayer vibes from the harmonized leads. M.’s vocals, as blackly metallic and viscerally lethal as ever, are dichotomously connected to the music and venture into minimally explored cleaner climes while sharing the spotlight on “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow” with guest vocalist Crying Orc (Këkht Aräkh).1 For beyond the Nightmare on Elm Street meets Black Aria2 vibes of instrumental opener “The Fires of Seduction,” lie the equally moody atmospheres of mid-album interlude “Angelic Vortex,” which serves as a portal, ushering listeners from Lamp of Murmuur’s past into what The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy represents for the project’s future.

Three-part title track, “The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy,” is the album highlight. Without jettisoning its black metal roots, Lamp of Murmuur shrouds this triptych in a Sólstafiric, proggy haze of spacy, 70s-style rock guitar solos and cascading Phantom of the Operatic progressions (“Part I – Moondance”), melodic, soaring leads (“Part II – Twilight Orgasm”) and a romping, symphonic paganism (“Part III – The Fall”) reminiscent of early Old Man’s Child. In addition, M.’s broadening, clean vocals inject new-wave intensity into the non-harsh moments of “Moondance,” a Moroder & Bowie “Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)” feel into the latter croons of “Twilight Orgasm,” and an effective, Cattle Decapitation-esque tonal rasp into “The Fall.” I think I had as much fun diving in and out of the waters of this stretch of TDPiE as our beloved sharkster had ingesting the whole of Saturnian Bloodstorm.

As often as dichotomy spearheads musical diversity, however, it can also foster unintended inconsistency, and in the court of The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy’s case, the latter unfortunately testifies loudest. As many moments of greatness exist on both halves of TDPiE’s whole, so too do some missteps. M.’s first instance of cleans, for example, at the end of “Hategate (The Dream-Master’s Realm)” sound out of tune and pulled me from an otherwise enjoyable listen during every spin. In addition, “Part I – Moondance” contains some awkwardly off-key musical transitions, and at times, the staccato, machine-gun riffage in “Part III – The Fall” feels out of sync with the drumming. And as much as I enjoyed the acoustically well-executed and clean-sung “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow,” its off-putting, last-batter-in-the-lineup positioning completely saps the majesty from the silence left in the wake of “Part III – The Fall”‘s last powerful chord.

A tenet often adhered to despite its obtusity is that broadened popularity for a band that launched its career from the darkened shadows of the kvlt black metal world usually leads to its death or disownment. In the case of Lamp of Murmuur, a forerunner of the current USBM scene, opinions may vary. As it stands, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is a full-length that, if released as a pair of EPs, might have transcended its holistic inconsistencies. I’ve grown past the distaste I felt on initial listens to appreciate both sides of what Lamp of Murmuur has done here and look forward to M.’s continued growth, as should you.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Wolves of Hades
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: November 14th, 2025

#2025 #30 #blackMetal #gothicMetal #immortal #kekhtArakh #lampOfMurmuur #nov25 #oldMansChild #review #solstafir #theDreamingPrinceInEcstasy #usbm #wolvesOfHadesRecords

https://www.europesays.com/nl/53033/ Kauan – Wayhome | Zware Metalen #2025 #agalloch #alcest #Amusement #anathema #ArtoffactRecords #atmospheric #AtmosphericPostRock #atoma #doom #Dutch #eldamar #empyrium #Entertainment #finland #kauan #Music #Muziek #Nederland #Nederlanden #Nederlands #Netherlands #NL #PostRock #recensie #saturnus #sólstafir #tenhi #ulver #wayhome #ZwareMetalen

Përl – Architecture du Vertige Review

One of the cool things about post-metal is the virtually infinite leeway artists have to be as light…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #2025 #3.0 #ArchitectureduVertige #Entertainment #FrenchMetal #Laudare #Matrass #Oct25 #Përl #post-metal #review #Reviews #SelfRelease #Solstafir #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/232151/

Përl – Architecture du Vertige Review

By Killjoy

One of the cool things about post-metal is the virtually infinite leeway artists have to be as light or heavy as they like. Among my favorite artists in the genre are those who are masterful at balancing both sides. Përl has handcrafted a particularly dichotomous brand of post-metal in Paris, France, since 2008, drawing inspiration from the chiaroscuro art style characterized by the strong contrast between light and dark. This can be particularly difficult to execute because the opposing elements must be balanced impeccably in addition to being individually striking. How well has Përl mastered chiaroscuro on their fourth full-length record, Architecture du Vertige?

True to form, Përl paints with a wide variety of aural hues. Architecture du Vertige has a lot in common with the artistic post-metal of fellow countrymen Matrass, with burly bass grooves grappling with a charismatic female vocalist. Aline Boussaroque’s harsh vocals verge on hardcore or, occasionally, screamo in a way reminiscent of Laudare (sans cello). Conversely, her gentle croons are like a glossy lacquer coating, at times venturing into indie-pop or hip-hop territory. The heavy and light segments replace one another constantly, sometimes with a smooth ebb (“Au Royaume des songes”) and other times with a rough jerk (“La chute”). It’s a testament to Përl’s skill that they can work with so many influences not found in your typical post-metal record and sound confident while doing so.

All three core band members have spectacular synergy together. In addition to Boussaroque, Architecture du Vertige features Bastien Venzac on bass guitar and Thibault Delafosse on percussion.1 Refreshingly, both Venzac and Delafosse feel like equal partners with Boussaroque. The tom-heavy drum rhythms serve as transitions between sections and interplay with the bass lines to create compelling grooves. Delafosse responds accordingly to Boussaroque’s coarse screams and honeyed singing with blast beats or lightly syncopated rhythms. Her light rapping in “Naufragée des nuages” and “Fjara” lends entrancing verve and, surprisingly, is one of my favorite aspects of Architecture du Vertige. “Fjara” is, in fact, a Sólstafir cover, boldly slotted in the middle rather than tacked on at the end. Përl fleshed their version out considerably, with velvety passion imbued in each syllable and a smooth saxophone2 carefully woven into the latter half. I don’t know whether this trio has been together since the beginning, but it sure sounds like it.

But for some reason, Përl seems to lose their fire halfway through. The impressive momentum starts to peter out with the wintery electronic pulses of “Arcipelago,” which might have been a nice change of pace if not for what follows. “Land’s End”—the only song with any English lyrics—is something of a jumble. The peppy indie-pop choruses sound out of place, and the muddled vocal layers at the end stand in stark contrast with the hypnotic multi-tracked vocals in “Naufragée des nuages” earlier. Worse, closer “Que l’éclat fasse demeure” experiences a dearth of energy for minutes on end before surging to life in a whirlwind conclusion that can’t fully make up for it. I will say that this is when the most interesting guitarwork happens, as the guitar tends to take a backseat to the bass before this point.

It turns out that Architecture du Vertige is as dichotomous in memorability as it is stylistically. The front half is great, though with the caveat that one of the best songs is a (well-executed) cover. Unfortunately, the songwriting loses much of its luster in the back half, which ultimately holds Architecture du Vertige back as a whole. The members of Përl complement each other well, and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with if they can manage to write an entire record with the same energy as the first half. There is likely no better genre than post-metal to embody the chiaroscuro concept, and Përl has still put forth one of the more convincing efforts that I’ve heard. Stumbles notwithstanding, Përl is too talented to remain in obscurity.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Release
Websites: perl.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/perl.fr
Releases Worldwide: October 24th, 2025

Show 2 footnotes

1. With Chris Killin handling the guitar for live performances. ↩
2. Courtesy of Yannick Renaud. ↩

#2025 #30 #ArchitectureDuVertige #FrenchMetal #Laudare #Matrass #Oct25 #Përl #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #Solstafir

🔥 ¡Empezamos otra semana a bordo de #4x4 de radio @rockaxisoficial! 🔥

Hoy vamos con pura cosecha 2024. Escuchamos lo nuevo de #1000Mods, #SwallowTheSun, #Solstafir y #Opeth 👏

Lunes 10 y 22 Hrs en http://Rockaxis.Fm

Conduce @PabloCerda1

#radio #Rockaxis

🐦🔗 https://farside.link/x.com/rockaxisoficial/status/1866105264765645127#m

Drungi – Hamfarir Hugans Review

By GardensTale

I love ‘for fans of’ or ‘related artists’ shorthands. In lieu of the endless genre discussions, it’s a great shortcut to match potential fans with new music. It has its shortcomings, of course; for one, you need to actually know the bands to get a feeling for whether it might be up your alley. Furthermore, bands can abuse it by referencing a bunch of popular bands, even when their style is only tangentially related. Case in point: the promo sheet for Drungi’s self-released debut Hamfarir Hugans included such a baffling spread in their FFO, I was immediately skeptical. Sólstafir, Skálmöld, Black Sabbath, Gojira and Manowar. What on Earth could possibly sound like all of those at the same time?

Against all odds, Hamfarir Hugans actually manages to tick most of those boxes in one way or another, without losing any cohesion. The first reference is the nearest kin: Sólstafir’s bleak mood and post-folk-metal textures are recognizable right away. But instead of despondent icy landscapes, Drungi uses that palette to draw crude cave paintings of primitive war and dark rituals. The coarse vocals recall their countrymen’s typical style of black metal, but the staccato delivery, occasional cleans and female backing vocals give a more tribal, primal vibe. As do the riffs, which are relatively simple and straightforward, but contain a marching, warlike spirit that fit perfectly with the band’s sonic aesthetics. The band doesn’t neatly fall into one genre or another, containing elements of traditional-, epic doom-, folk- and black metal, conglomerating into a sound that might appeal to Hangman’s Chair fans in addition to all the above.1

Of course, the most important is whether Hamfarir Hugans is any good, and I can happily confirm that once more! Opener “Alda” serves as a kind of microcosm for the album at large, serving a somewhat repetitious riff with enough verve and spirit to stave off the threat of repetitiveness, including whispers and female chants for atmosphere, and a more traditional-hewing solo that breaks up the track nicely. This kind of simple but mature songwriting is key across the record, along with a consistency in the performances that implies the band members have much more experience making music than their empty Metal Archives histories account for. A hazard of a young band with a very particular sound is over-reliance on the sound without accounting for variation between tracks, but Drungi know to compensate for that. Mid-paced stompers like the opener contrast with higher charges like “Skjálfti” or “Ófærð,” and the melodic solos provide a nice change of pace.

Even so, the band never dips into either outright doom- or speed metal pacing, keeping a tight grip on the reins. Perhaps a bit too tight, as my sole nit to pick with Hamfarir Hugans would be an unadventurous spirit. That may sound odd when I’ve spent so much time building up the band’s unique sound, but my gripe is less with the album as a whole as it is with the progression of each track individually. It’s a consequence of the focus on that primal sound, where each track is primarily centered around one central riff that varies little as the song goes on, keeping the pacing, energy and atmosphere largely stagnant from the beginning of the track to the end. That’s part of what makes the solos so effective a break, too. There’s evidence Drungi is aware of this flaw; “Kvika” introduces a nice break in the middle and builds toward the solo from there, but then returns to its main riff unnecessarily at the end.

Still, it’s a petty complaint, especially for a band who have managed to dig out a niche of their own with a unique yet cohesive sound and solid performances for their first and unsigned album. It speaks of a combination of lethal talent, inspiration, and a hell of a working ethic. I hope Drungi is willing to dig deep and mine the most out of its style, because this outfit has the potential to go very far indeed. Hamfarir Hugans is just the first step.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: drungi.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/drungiiceland
Releases Worldwide: April 5th, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackSabbath #DoomMetal #Drungi #FolkMetal #Gojira #HamfarirHugans #HangmanSChair #HeavyMetal #IcelandicMetal #Manowar #Mar24 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Skálmöld #Solstafir

Drungi – Hamfarir Hugans Review

By GardensTale

I love ‘for fans of’ or ‘related artists’ shorthands. In lieu of the endless genre discussions, it’s a great shortcut to match potential fans with new music. It has its shortcomings, of course; for one, you need to actually know the bands to get a feeling for whether it might be up your alley. Furthermore, bands can abuse it by referencing a bunch of popular bands, even when their style is only tangentially related. Case in point: the promo sheet for Drungi’s self-released debut Hamfarir Hugans included such a baffling spread in their FFO, I was immediately skeptical. Sólstafir, Skálmöld, Black Sabbath, Gojira and Manowar. What on Earth could possibly sound like all of those at the same time?

Against all odds, Hamfarir Hugans actually manages to tick most of those boxes in one way or another, without losing any cohesion. The first reference is the nearest kin: Sólstafir’s bleak mood and post-folk-metal textures are recognizable right away. But instead of despondent icy landscapes, Drungi uses that palette to draw crude cave paintings of primitive war and dark rituals. The coarse vocals recall their countrymen’s typical style of black metal, but the staccato delivery, occasional cleans and female backing vocals give a more tribal, primal vibe. As do the riffs, which are relatively simple and straightforward, but contain a marching, warlike spirit that fit perfectly with the band’s sonic aesthetics. The band doesn’t neatly fall into one genre or another, containing elements of traditional-, epic doom-, folk- and black metal, conglomerating into a sound that might appeal to Hangman’s Chair fans in addition to all the above.1

Of course, the most important is whether Hamfarir Hugans is any good, and I can happily confirm that once more! Opener “Alda” serves as a kind of microcosm for the album at large, serving a somewhat repetitious riff with enough verve and spirit to stave off the threat of repetitiveness, including whispers and female chants for atmosphere, and a more traditional-hewing solo that breaks up the track nicely. This kind of simple but mature songwriting is key across the record, along with a consistency in the performances that implies the band members have much more experience making music than their empty Metal Archives histories account for. A hazard of a young band with a very particular sound is over-reliance on the sound without accounting for variation between tracks, but Drungi know to compensate for that. Mid-paced stompers like the opener contrast with higher charges like “Skjálfti” or “Ófærð,” and the melodic solos provide a nice change of pace.

Even so, the band never dips into either outright doom- or speed metal pacing, keeping a tight grip on the reins. Perhaps a bit too tight, as my sole nit to pick with Hamfarir Hugans would be an unadventurous spirit. That may sound odd when I’ve spent so much time building up the band’s unique sound, but my gripe is less with the album as a whole as it is with the progression of each track individually. It’s a consequence of the focus on that primal sound, where each track is primarily centered around one central riff that varies little as the song goes on, keeping the pacing, energy and atmosphere largely stagnant from the beginning of the track to the end. That’s part of what makes the solos so effective a break, too. There’s evidence Drungi is aware of this flaw; “Kvika” introduces a nice break in the middle and builds toward the solo from there, but then returns to its main riff unnecessarily at the end.

Still, it’s a petty complaint, especially for a band who have managed to dig out a niche of their own with a unique yet cohesive sound and solid performances for their first and unsigned album. It speaks of a combination of lethal talent, inspiration, and a hell of a working ethic. I hope Drungi is willing to dig deep and mine the most out of its style, because this outfit has the potential to go very far indeed. Hamfarir Hugans is just the first step.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: drungi.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/drungiiceland
Releases Worldwide: April 5th, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackSabbath #DoomMetal #Drungi #FolkMetal #Gojira #HamfarirHugans #HangmanSChair #HeavyMetal #IcelandicMetal #Manowar #Mar24 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Skálmöld #Solstafir

Drungi – Hamfarir Hugans Review

By GardensTale

I love ‘for fans of’ or ‘related artists’ shorthands. In lieu of the endless genre discussions, it’s a great shortcut to match potential fans with new music. It has its shortcomings, of course; for one, you need to actually know the bands to get a feeling for whether it might be up your alley. Furthermore, bands can abuse it by referencing a bunch of popular bands, even when their style is only tangentially related. Case in point: the promo sheet for Drungi’s self-released debut Hamfarir Hugans included such a baffling spread in their FFO, I was immediately skeptical. Sólstafir, Skálmöld, Black Sabbath, Gojira and Manowar. What on Earth could possibly sound like all of those at the same time?

Against all odds, Hamfarir Hugans actually manages to tick most of those boxes in one way or another, without losing any cohesion. The first reference is the nearest kin: Sólstafir’s bleak mood and post-folk-metal textures are recognizable right away. But instead of despondent icy landscapes, Drungi uses that palette to draw crude cave paintings of primitive war and dark rituals. The coarse vocals recall their countrymen’s typical style of black metal, but the staccato delivery, occasional cleans and female backing vocals give a more tribal, primal vibe. As do the riffs, which are relatively simple and straightforward, but contain a marching, warlike spirit that fit perfectly with the band’s sonic aesthetics. The band doesn’t neatly fall into one genre or another, containing elements of traditional-, epic doom-, folk- and black metal, conglomerating into a sound that might appeal to Hangman’s Chair fans in addition to all the above.1

Of course, the most important is whether Hamfarir Hugans is any good, and I can happily confirm that once more! Opener “Alda” serves as a kind of microcosm for the album at large, serving a somewhat repetitious riff with enough verve and spirit to stave off the threat of repetitiveness, including whispers and female chants for atmosphere, and a more traditional-hewing solo that breaks up the track nicely. This kind of simple but mature songwriting is key across the record, along with a consistency in the performances that implies the band members have much more experience making music than their empty Metal Archives histories account for. A hazard of a young band with a very particular sound is over-reliance on the sound without accounting for variation between tracks, but Drungi know to compensate for that. Mid-paced stompers like the opener contrast with higher charges like “Skjálfti” or “Ófærð,” and the melodic solos provide a nice change of pace.

Even so, the band never dips into either outright doom- or speed metal pacing, keeping a tight grip on the reins. Perhaps a bit too tight, as my sole nit to pick with Hamfarir Hugans would be an unadventurous spirit. That may sound odd when I’ve spent so much time building up the band’s unique sound, but my gripe is less with the album as a whole as it is with the progression of each track individually. It’s a consequence of the focus on that primal sound, where each track is primarily centered around one central riff that varies little as the song goes on, keeping the pacing, energy and atmosphere largely stagnant from the beginning of the track to the end. That’s part of what makes the solos so effective a break, too. There’s evidence Drungi is aware of this flaw; “Kvika” introduces a nice break in the middle and builds toward the solo from there, but then returns to its main riff unnecessarily at the end.

Still, it’s a petty complaint, especially for a band who have managed to dig out a niche of their own with a unique yet cohesive sound and solid performances for their first and unsigned album. It speaks of a combination of lethal talent, inspiration, and a hell of a working ethic. I hope Drungi is willing to dig deep and mine the most out of its style, because this outfit has the potential to go very far indeed. Hamfarir Hugans is just the first step.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: drungi.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/drungiiceland
Releases Worldwide: April 5th, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackSabbath #DoomMetal #Drungi #FolkMetal #Gojira #HamfarirHugans #HangmanSChair #HeavyMetal #IcelandicMetal #Manowar #Mar24 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #Skálmöld #Solstafir

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11 Black Metal Songs to Kill the Holiday Spirit

https://www.metalsucks.net/2023/12/18/11-black-metal-songs-to-kill-the-holiday-spirit/

#BlackMetal
#KillTheHolidaySpirit
#MetalSucks
#11Songs
#Kvelertak
#Solstafir
#Batushka
#Funebrarum
#Bosse-de-Nage
#KLone
#TheGreatOldOnes
#Interment

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11 Black Metal Songs to Kill the Holiday Spirit

https://www.metalsucks.net/2023/12/18/11-black-metal-songs-to-kill-the-holiday-spirit/

#BlackMetal
#KillTheHolidaySpirit
#MetalSucks
#11Songs
#Kvelertak
#Solstafir
#Batushka
#Funebrarum
#Bosse-de-Nage
#KLone
#TheGreatOldOnes
#Interment

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalSucks
11 Black Metal Songs to Kill the Holiday Spirit

https://www.metalsucks.net/2023/12/18/11-black-metal-songs-to-kill-the-holiday-spirit/

#BlackMetal
#KillTheHolidaySpirit
#MetalSucks
#11Songs
#Kvelertak
#Solstafir
#Batushka
#Funebrarum
#Bosse-de-Nage
#KLone
#TheGreatOldOnes
#Interment

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#MetalSucks
11 Black Metal Songs to Kill the Holiday Spirit

https://www.metalsucks.net/2023/12/18/11-black-metal-songs-to-kill-the-holiday-spirit/

#BlackMetal
#KillTheHolidaySpirit
#MetalSucks
#11Songs
#Kvelertak
#Solstafir
#Batushka
#Funebrarum
#Bosse-de-Nage
#KLone
#TheGreatOldOnes
#Interment