Hot on the heels of solid, recent, and upcoming majestic, melodic, second wave black metal homages like Warmoon Lord, Arna, Sinira, fellow one man project, Winter Eternal, Kjeld, Wooden Throne and such, comes prolific lone Aussie ‘Nightwolf’ (also in Blood Stronghold and Eternum) and his 5th releases in as many years. And while it’s my first introduction to this one -man act, I’ll certainly be checking out the back catalog as well as future releases.

The template is simple; distant howls, frosty, tinny, tremolo-picked riffs (though still clearly produced overall), a semi-pagan sense of atmospheric, militant regality, a few keyboards, and a windswept mysticism. It’s all culled straight from the 90s, second-wave Scandinavian scene, notably later Immortal, early Abigor and maybe a hint of  Blood Fire Death and Viking era Bathory, and done with a primal vigor and energy that makes it a solid homage, but having a little of its own aura. And all the more impressive its a single person.

The first track “Structures of Collapse”, delivers a resolute, 6-minute stomp and blast that’s a satisfying introduction to what the rest of the album will be delivering. However, it’s the second track “Vengeance Reign”, where I’m really drawn into what Nightwolf is delivering here with a hearty, rousing, medieval/Viking trot and gallop. “Realm of Fire” has a more more punky, percussive sneer amid the semi-Viking melodies and marches while the rangy “Tides of Slidhr” delivers a stern, steady mid-tempo march which really imbues the Bathory comparison. The last song “Shadow’s Dominion” plods along with a determined repetition, but it’s still got a strong regal presence.

A couple of acoustic numbers (“Into Dust” and closing outro “Windswept Burial”) fill out the 7 song album, so there is only really 5 true songs, though they are lengthy numbers in the 6-9 minute range and all deliver impressive numbers that show an artist locked into a sound with confidence.

[Visit the band's website]

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