Formed in 2025 by two musicians on different sides of the Atlantic, they initially operated under the pseudonyms of The Monarch of the Hillside (MOTH) and The North East Wizard Tyrant (NEWT), although it didn’t take too long for fans to realise it was singer Alex Loach and guitarist/bassist Steve Wiener who play together in black/death metal outfit Ashenheart. They have since been joined by drummer Basher At Things (BAT), otherwise known as Chris Barber. Given the cover it is of little surprise that the first song is a delicate acoustic instrumental with plenty of birdsong and the feeling of being deep in the forest relaxing, but of course it doesn’t stay that way when they blast into “Lament of the Dryads”, although it is somewhat surprising for the mixing to mean the acoustic section is way higher than the black metal that follows.
Apart from the single “Dreamer”, which was a tribute to Ozzy, all songs they have released to date in one form or another, are captured on this debut. Their acoustic elements work well, while the black metal is ragged and direct, but it is when they combine both on “The Ritual” where it really comes together. It is emotional, atmospheric, passionate and enthralling, all at the same time. It certainly fits in well with the concept of the woodland realm and I would have liked to have heard more in this vein. Their take on black metal is unadorned, steeped in nature, folklore, and cycles of death and rebirth, while the band themselves are committed to anti-fascism, environmental protection, LGBTQ+ rights, not necessarily views which often resonate within the movement. The variety and rawness combined with the different styles and sympathetic production makes for an interesting debut and I look forward to hearing more.
Rating: 7/10
Links:
https://eveale.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fiadhproductions/