We often ponder the cosmos that lies outward, but we never truly delve into that which exists inward, to chronicle the voyage of what lurks within our own stars, the transformation of joy into abhorrence, the very twisting of horrors that permeate and cast their glow from within. If a soul were to submit itself to the abyss of its own space, in a true act of surrender, to observe and absorb every facet, and if that experience were transmuted into creation, the result would be ineffable yet beautiful, for it becomes art where human language fails to discern.
‘Hyperborean Combat Overlord’ by Mooncitadel ushers the mind into a sea of stars, where, through the sound of Black Metal, the soul merges with the cosmic force, transfiguring itself to flow with the very essence of the art. Manifesting in a shape similar to that of bands such as Absu, Odium, and certain aspects of Immortal, Mooncitadel instead transforms its being into the very conduit that channels the unhindered sea of consciousness into the purest creation of melody.
When the senses become overloaded to the point where mere words flowing from the mouth cannot facilitate the raging sea of thought, a soul may become overwhelmed. Yet it is this sensation, the pouring of emotions into art, no matter the influx therein—that grants a pure distillation of energy.The drumming upon this album shares this sentiment, where its motion becomes a haphazard flurry of currents, as though the mind wishes to expel all thoughts into the very drums. Yet its surge of power becomes a rushing sensation, often branching and intertwining with itself.
This is fostered through the raw tone of the percussion, where the drumming becomes bare in its expulsion. Through its torrent, the sound is rendered in such a manner that you can hear every variable, from the shattering of the cymbals to the actual vibrations of the instruments being hammered, as though it were pure, visceral emotion that dictates every beat that connects with the instrument.
‘La Sorcière du Nord’ is an example that displays the transparent side of the percussion. However, the propulsive cadence is not the only quality of the drumming; there is also a level of restraint that bends the current, effectively slowing it down to meet the more sombre tones and allowing the elements to breathe.A crucial aspect of the drums comes not from their abrasive tones, but through the channeling of these very tones. In turn, this creates a soundscape for the mind—the very void that speaks, its message decoded through these virulent beats—for the pounding of the drums is language broken down into its primal dialect and deciphered by a mind that is in repose.
As the mind descends into itself, as daylight fades and into the night skies of oneself we crawl, heeding its call, its language through sound, the soul may gaze upon the wonders within its depth, for within the recess of the mind the astral flame that illuminates the umbral lake is rediscovered. The very resonance of this flame and the form it assumes becomes the guitars, carrying in its motion an unfettered force comparable to the drums, however painting the blackened skies in its conflagration of fire.
Radiating in a crude dissonance where like the drums, the mind feels exposed to the nature of its playing, where the hands that communicate with the guitars are propelled through unrestrained emotions. This in turn is achieved by the thin and dry sound of the guitars, however in the abundance of its feverish movement instead creates a density as though the strings are being carved by the hands in its creation of melodies.’Funeral Pyres Under the Crepuscular Moon’ demonstrates this where a myriad of notes becomes bundled into a cascading stream, scabrous in sound, however the beauty comes forth in its ability to take to shape this raging energy to craft a melodious resonance throughout the album, often shifting between the clangorous tones to a more epic-like empyreal sound.
Throughout the album, there exists uses of synths scattered between the guitars and drums, furthermore enhancing the journey while adding hue to its textures, for instance on the track ‘In Lunar Spheres the Savage Death Awaits’ where its movement becomes a flux and pulse, integrating into the atmosphere’s composition, as it knots and winds, in turn making the experience much more animated.
As the mind feasts upon the astral flame, where the tongue is burnt free of human speech, an innate ember awakens within the soul. Speech, void of human emotion, can only be uttered through the spirit, for it is like speaking with the tongue cleaved to the roof of the mouth as the lips remain closed; the only words that escape become thoughts shaped into form. The very dimensions of these shapes, where the album is concerned, become jagged and serrated, as though they form a weapon.
‘Duskveiled Tower… An Aeonic Portal’ conveys the erratic contours of this shape through the vocals, where the register adopts a frigid essence, as though, with every vocal pattern, the vapour of frost hovers upon its expulsion. This, in turn, crafts a juxtaposition with the warm textures of the guitars and drums. However, the conjoining of all these elements creates a cosmic ambience—not one that is ethereal in appearance; instead, it casts light towards the unknown, where, beneath the veil, certain horrors may lurk.
Mooncitadel becomes the beast that dwells not beneath the earth but within the stygian lake of a night sky and within its glory, a cluster of stars erupts from its maw, for through the spell of sound, its existence of motion inscribes the gospel for the soul to Inherit.
