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Darkness Domain – The Judgement Bells

darkness domain – the judgement bells

Info

A mysterious entity that hails somewhere from within the borders of Finland, Darkness Domain released their first recording upon the world in the shape of ‘The Judgement Bells’. In six tracks that total up to just under 31 minutes, the band presents us with a raw Black Metal sound, complemented with wild and distorted vocals. While maybe not exactly Lo-Fi in sound, the music does have a little bit of that vibe going on. That’s not in the least because the synthesizers are rather loud in the mix, adding a sense of disorientation to the music while pushing the vocals and guitars into a dark and twisted corner. The synthesizers aren’t continuously used, but rather accent the eerie character of certain passages. They also provide intros and intermezzos in a Dungeon Synth style fashion, often remaining quite minimal in complexity but hitting the right note when it comes to lifting the atmosphere.

The Black Metal core of the music can be both furious in speed in intensity, for instance at the start of ‘The Remains of a Massive Destruction’, which in every way is a highlight track with its shifting riffs, accentuating synths and epic and authentic atmosphere. But a slower strumming track like ‘In the Vault of Night’ hits home just as well, featuring a grimmer feel when the twisted atonal riffs battle it out with the deranged vocals. Even a more minimal and midtempo epic song like ‘Sky Explodes in Black’ with its carrying synthesizers remains interesting through varying drum pace and the unchained vocals that are let loose over the song. Darkness Domain knows exactly when to shift the tempo in either direction and ‘The Judgement Bells’ feels like an album with a clear vision. Those that keep the Finnish scene close to their heart take heed, this is an excellent raw Black Metal with Dungeon synth infusion record and a band to keep on the radar. Digitally available for now but physical formats are coming somewhere in the future through Darker Than Black Records (LP) and Old Forest Production (Cassette tape and CD).

Darkness Domain

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