Since its dark inception Black Metal has always been a synonym of a noisy controversy. Black Metal has also always been bouncing between the light and the dark. Of course, much more to the dark; however, some bands have been somehow approaching the light side of life. I’ll elaborate, in the search of peace of mind many bands are looking really beyond. They are looking to the stars and the universe has many things to teach. One of them is balance. Everything in the universe in a kind of balance. So is everything in this Lightlorn’s album called “These Nameless Worlds” and its search for the peace of mind in a Black Metal way. Lightlorn here explore the feelings of alienation, isolation, and existential dread. This cover tells a lot about the band and its choices.
As the tittle tells is “These Nameless Worlds” all about human feelings applied to the space. To the cold vaccum of space where no human dares to be. The band projects all the feelings of alienation, isolation, and existential dread to somewhere distant in space. The void is really something that attracts Black Metal bands as it means the nothingness, the emptyness. It’s cold and empty as Black Metal desires to be. The vacuum and its alleged emptyness fulfills this constant thought of black metallers though science is proving that nothing is completely empty. But the idea remains poetically valid.
Maybe “Stargazing in the Abyss” is the track that represents this feeling better. The balance between the sweet and slow with the fast and agressive is here. The song is the living musical contrast between them. There is a hidden beauty in the song. Maybe it comes from the 1980’s Gothic rock influences the track obviously has. The melodic guitars break all the agression that comes from vocals. This technique of using doubled high notes isn’t new, but it works just fine when a band wnats to break the fury from vocals. “Stargazing in the Abyss” showcases all the possible musical contrasts a Black Metal band is able explore. Ever.
I guess the standard Black metal fan will strange the combination Lightlorn do here. It’s not really new as many albums reviewed here explored this ethereal space sonancy, but the band takes it to the other level producing even more contrasts. Album warmer “Unmapped Constellations” takes the fan to the cold of space in a sick trip that could be avoided. I say avoided because the song rises many discussions some hardcore Black Metal fans want to get out from. One of them can Black Metal evolve? Can Black Metal go beyond mundane matters? Is the space the last frontier? I’ll leave my dear child of the night with them.
One more album to be nominated.
Lightlorn “These Nameless Worlds” will be released on June 28th via Black Lion Records.
Track Listing:
- Unmapped Constellations
- Through the Cold Black Yonder
- Dilation Sleep
- Stargazing in the Abyss
Watch “Unmapped Constellations” official lyric video here:
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