At The Altar Of The Horned God - Heart Of Silence (2023)

Unleashing some of the most eerie and ritualistic Atmospheric Black Metal musings, today we have At The Altar of the Horned God and their sophomore release “Heart of Silence”. Released by I, Voidhanger Records, we instantly knew we were in for a totally unique and aurally impressive release. Mixing elements of bands like Urfaust and The Ruins of Beverast, this one-man battalion manages to craft forty minutes of highly magikal music.

Setting a very ritualistic and immersive vibe, “Listen” and “Closing Circle'' create a sinister atmosphere nicely outlined by creepy vocals and highly bipolar music ranging from simple percussions to full on BM riffs. The album title track nicely blends all these elements together with some chilling clean vocals and fierce heavy onslaughts, creating a very punishing and yet cathartic experience.

The band’s heavy side is quite powerful as pieces like “Chthonic Summoning” and “Anointed With Fire”, are vicious and fast-paced, perfectly flanked by more atmospheric/mood setting pieces like “Guardian of the Threshold”. Other tracks feature more experimental elements like the dreamy “God is in the Rain” and its funky atmospherics, or the closer “Severing Light” and its Solefald-esque vibe.

As a whole, “Heart of Silence” is a truly unique aural experience. There are plenty of unique influences brilliantly blended in together, alongside crushing heaviness and a very diabolical atmosphere. Heolstor, the entity behind this outfit, showcases tons of unique ideas and a yet a very stylized musical core that is unlike anything else you will hear this 2023. Naturally, such an had to be released by I, Voidhanger Records and not some cookie-cutter label.

Label: I, Voidhanger Records

Release: March 3rd, 2023

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal

Country: Spain