I really enjoyed the last album by Arx Atrata, ‘The Path Untravelled’, so was pleased to say they/he is back with their/his fourth release. No, I am not attempting to be correct on gender, but rather this is a one-man outfit from England, with Ben Sizer providing all instruments and vocals. To my ears this is a step up from the last one, as while yet again we get some nice vocals and plenty of riffing, the atmospheric side of this works incredibly well. Ben understands there needs to be light and shade to provide the menace this music requires, so he takes little sidesteps here and there to show how much beauty there can be within this style before he returns to again rip our heads off. The last time I reviewed Arx Atrata I said this “is what black metal should be about, with the feeling of an evil horde ready to burst out of a cavern and take your children.”

I did have some complaints about the production last time around and said it would have been better with a slightly rawer sound, and here the balance is just right. There is menace, there is evil afoot, and there is the knowledge there is something hiding in the night which we will do best to avoid. That I am listening to it on a glorious New Zealand sunny afternoon just seems wrong, as this is music designed for the cold and snow and feels far more Scandinavian its approach than most of the scene in the UK. Some black metal bands go all out for image with corpse paint, leather and studs and forget about the music, but yet again Ben has produced something which gets the balance right. It is all about the music, as it should be, although we do of course have a complex logo and interesting cover. Fans of black metal should seek this out, especially if Fen is your cup of poison.

Rating: 8/10

Links:
https://arxatrata.com/