THE MANTLE

A nearly perfect album in a way that is hard to describe. The pinnacle of the album is the legendary song "In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion" which is both a perfect example of the best Folkloric/Atmospheric Black Metal song and one of the easiest for new ears to the realm to first experience. The rest of the album maintains the precise instrumentation and sophisticated song structure, which I liken to a luxury brand of the genre. While the type of music is "raw", nothing is "raw" about the production of this album. Instruments are clear, and no sound outshines another. As for the vocals, I really enjoy the fluctuation between low growls, soft-spoken whispers, and melodic cleans, that all are placed in the song perfectly with matching lyrics. 10/10 album and highly recommended for any prog fan, especially those looking to get into music with growling vocals and black metal- like riffs.