Isenordal - Requiem for Eirênê (2024)

Unleashing one of the most powerful and disarming releases of 2024, today we have Isenordal and their latest opus “Requiem for Eirênê”. Filled with melancholy, this release features five tracks and over 50 minutes of majestically crafted music that transports the listener with mysterious and bleak soundscapes. Filled with lush instrumentation and perfect execution, this is one of our early candidates for best release of the year.

Opening with the 15-minute behemoth “A Moment Approaches Eternity”, we get a slow atmospheric progression adorned by solemn viola accents, just until the moment when crushing Doom riffs lead way to harsh screams. The level of bleakness induced by the weeping guitars and the masterful tempo is unparalleled, and it only gets better as the track progresses with even more dramatic instrumentation and some hellish aggressive passages.

Continuing with ”Await Me, Ultima Thule”, the band shows a more fragile edge with angelic female vocals and lush string arrangements. Of course there are many tempo changes and different movements to this track, delivering a very desolate and yet frantic atmosphere. The album title track nicely provides a rest from the heavier side of things while showcasing Eva Vonne’s haunting vocals.

As the release closes with the masterful “Epiphanies of Abhorrence and Futility” and “Saturnine Apotheosis”, we are left without words to describe how intense and yet delicate these two tracks are. The band excels in creating haunting atmospheres that weave in bleakness with aggression in a perfectly balanced way. Highly recommended for any fans of Black/Doom Metal with some Neo-Folk touches, and be sure to not miss the band on their West coast tour to support this release.

Label: Prophecy Productions

Release: March 8th, 2024

Genre: Pagan/Black/Doom Metal

Country: USA