Among the work of independent artists lies some of the richest palettes of sounds and emotions – unadulterated, unpolished and delivered in an authentic way that will make you feel like you discovered a treasure during a walk in the woods at dusk. I have a feeling I’ll never get tired of looking in the dark for them…

Nargathrond is a German independent experimental black metal project – just one of those hidden treasures that you can’t see everywhere , but once you play their music, you feel the spirit of something old and beautiful, a melancholy envelops your senses and without realizing it, you are consumed by the ghosts outlined by the artist’s notes.

To date, the project has released a number of EPs and three albums, with ‘Mourning Season’ being the second chapter in its planned trilogy, which will tell an entire story in a cinematic way, in the form of a film soundtrack.

According to Nargathrond, „Mourning Season“ describes an unexpected love story where distance and time are the biggest obstacles. It’s about coming to terms with the idea that this story has no future in this form. Maybe some would find this theme too dramatic, or maybe it would fit perfectly with someone’s condition and have a purifying effect, but whatever you think about it, the moment you play „Mourning Season“ you will stop thinking at all and immerse yourself completely in the atmosphere of the music. Take the work as a sonic story that unfolds before you with haunting melodies.

Ambient noises and ethereal piano introduce us to the nightmarish world of Nargathrond, and before long they imperceptibly transition into smooth drums, cold slow guitars and synths. The intro „Nightmares Coming“ is only two minutes long and instrumental, but it sets such an atmosphere that I fast forwarded several times to the point with the transition from ambient piano instrumental to atmospheric black metal. A fine detail that captures the attention instantly and is extremely rare to hear lately.

And with the focus now entirely on the sound, Nargathrond attacks the thin strings with high-end severe atmospheric guitars on the title track „Mourning Season“, with the drums and pianos more prominent in the background, the musician’s vocals extremely layered and emotionally charged –  they go from low menacing growls to high pitched screams, clean singing, speech and heartbreaking shrieks, making the track a unique experience.

The tempo progresses gradually with each song, as in „Haunt Of Feelings“ – the third track on the album, the tremolo and distortion enter more and more noticeably in the already faster instrumental. The vocals are all harsh and the 90’s spirit undoubtedly creeps in from every corner, reminiscent of the work of some great artists of the past.

And after the more uptempo previous track, „Forest Loneliness“ follows.
Ethereal layers of acoustic guitar melodies, slow pulsating drums and natural ambient sounds gradually transition into cold guitars and powerful vocal layers , fascinating  in an uncompromising way. Guitar techniques alternate and merge into one another, forming a trance-inducing composition that is very interesting to follow.

The final track „So Far Away“ ends the „Mourning Season“ journey with a mix of different tunes. Within about four minutes (4:44 to be exact), we can hear both powerful tremolo and black metal vocals, as well as clean singing in the style of Anathema and other more rock-oriented names & more industrial like  vibes on the strings. An interesting composition that is not quite to my taste, but leaves the mark of Nargathrond in the mind and is part of his identity.

After several listens to the album, it’s hard to believe that this is the first time I’ve heard Nargathrond’s music. It sounds like a bygone memory and takes me back to the late 90s, when we used to swap tapes in the park and listen to music on our Walkmans, commenting on the new music we discovered.

An all-consuming melancholy echoes from each of the five tracks on „Mourning Season“. Nargathrond reveals in a fascinating way  his cold and atmospheric soundscapes, from which connoisseurs of the genre cannot help but remain fascinated. A true underground experience that touches the thin strings and skilfully plays with the imagination, leaving its mark.

Score:8/10

Favorite tracks: „Mourning Season“, „Forest Loneliness“

The album will be released on January 12th, 2024, independently by Nargathrond.
You can find all the artist’s links at the following address: https://linktr.ee/NargathrondMusic

Hear the experience“Forest Loneliness“ below: