Thagirion Altars from Valdivia, Los Ríos in Chile, yet another mystique project from the Lord Valtgryftåke, is a raw Black Metal/dark ambient hybrid/creation. Thagirion Altars’ full-length debut was first issued digitally on November 1, 2024 via Inferna Profundus Records. It was also published on the Forbidden Files Records’ Bandcamp page on the same date, and on Ars Maligne’s Bandcamp page on November 24th 2024. This unique album spans four epic compositions totalling 38:30 in runtime.
The production strikes a deliberate and suffocating balance between raw Black Metal aggression and cavernous ambience. abrasive, harsh layered guitars are drenched in reverb, creating an otherworldly, subterranean vibe. The possessed vocals alternate between tortured shrieks and distant hollow chants, reinforcing the ritualistic theme of the album. And subtle synth pads underlie many passages, adding depth without overshadowing the guitars.
The album opens with ‘First Entrance of Thagirion Tunnels’, a brief intro of ominous churning tremolo-picked riffs and echoing atmospherics that prepares and cleanses the listener for the ensuing ritual.
‘Impetuous Ceremony of Miasmatic Transformation “In Visceribus Bestiæ, In Æternam Coitus, Schemhamephorasch” is the centerpiece. Overall linear blasts of relentless drumming gives way to sprawling, punkish Doom-inflected riffs. Mid-track, a slow, dirge-like section drenches the song in oppressive dread before erupting into a final storm of ritualistic Black Metal fire. The end of this magnum opus is a virtual descent into the abyss.
‘Twofold Circle of Melkiresha’. A transitional interlude built on droning chants, dungeon synths and tribal percussion. It functions as a short, creepy cleanser for the ear canals.
And finally -‘Antihedron Chants of Oracular Holokaustron “Devouring the Arteries of the Circle of Baxaxaxa”’, a lengthy track matching the second track’s epic scope, this closer delves deeper into dark ambient territory. Layers of whispered mantras float over slow, crushing riffs that climax in a blast-filled finale.
This is not an easy album to digest. The song structure is strongly reminiscent of Pa Vesh En or Black Cilice, not to mention the chilling, stifling vocal lines. Lord Valtgryftåke must be the Mozart of raw Black Metal, conjuring melodies and infernal symphonies while he sleeps. Incredible talent!
In short: ‘Nosophoros – The Pale Specter From the Unholy Graveyard’ is a striking fusion of ritual Black Metal and eerie Dark Ambient soundscapes. Its strengths lie in memorable riffing, immersive production, and an unflinching commitment to atmosphere. While the lengthy compositions demand patience, the payoff is a haunting, almost cinematic journey into darkness. Go ahead, try it.
