Vindalf – Undying Order of the Black Flames
Band: Vindalf
Album: Undying Order of the Black Flames
Label: Signal Rex
Release date: October 4th, 2024
Country: Chile
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording
As the effects of a couple of nights spent staring at the ceiling start to kick in, I came to the conclusion that Vindalf’s latest record, “Undying Order of the Black Flames” was the best choice for this week’s review, after several plan changes. A tenebrous, eerily cold sounding album oozing bleakness, it actually got me interested into checking out more material from this project and I wasn’t disappointed. But let’s leave this nonsense aside, and get into the actual music, as there is plenty to unpack here, and if I kept rambling more, this review would end up being shamelessly long.
Now, instead of taking every song and analyzing it in particular, as I usually do, I think that, in the case of this record, there is need for a different course of action. Something that I feel needs to be mentioned first, however, is that Vindalf does not play only in the style of black metal. Listen to any album, and you’ll notice that most of them include a lot of dungeon synth songs, to the point where I’d say they are half black metal, half dungeon synth. However, don’t let that fool you, because the combination of these two styles in the material of this project is nothing short of masterful. “Undying Order of the Black Flames” took this direction to its peak, alternating the black metal and synth tracks in such a way that it creates an incredible atmosphere, and it makes the songwriting stand out even more.
The album leans on the shorter side, spanning at around 36 minutes, but oh boy, everything is developed to the fullest. There is not one musical idea left without a clear place or unfinished, and the dungeon synth tracks are so moody and creative with their execution, that they leave you wanting more of that. I tend to have mixed feelings about dungeon synth as a genre, due to the fact that most people got the wrong impression that it’s super easy to make, which created a hell of a lot of soulless projects. However, finding music like this, which is well written, creative, and helps the flow of the album tremendously always makes me question my opinon. I also love the versatility of these tracks, and the sensations that they create. Some of them are more ominous, foreboding, while others have a more calm, immersive atmosphere. They are not overly complex, however, which creates an even higher contrast with the black metal aspects. In short, it works incredibly well, and I’m down for more of this.
The black metal songs are, however, where the real fun begins. The production is super raw, the bass is out of the window, the riffs sharp like a scythe and the vocals are comprised oh haunting screeches and howls that crawl like shivers under your skin. It doesn’t really get more black metal than this, to be honest, in the sense that if you look up all the standard features of it, you’ll see that this album has it all. Some may take this as a sign of unoriginality, but that is simply not the case. This album showcases a wide range of soundscapes, from powerful epics to bleak solitude. The music flows as a continuous stream throughout the record, giving it a narrative quality, which brings together all the different moods and elements from each song. Along with being abrasive, the songs also have an immersive quality, which makes you feel almost as if the music is floating around you, in a sense. All of this makes the album feel very meditative, even in its most intense moments. Perhaps the most fitting bands that this record could be compared to are Nyctophilia, and especially Evilfeast, although Vindalf goes for a less complex approach, and relying more on the guitars for the decorative elements. Speaking of guitars…
It might not be obvious at a first listen, but the riffs here are wildly underrated. Many are very melodic and intricate, which contrasts the harsh nature of everything else going on around them. And we all know what happens when you combine intricate riffs with raw production: You get some of the best sounding black metal you could possibly find. The drums being more or less faded into the mix, acting more like a simple guideline for the rest of the instruments also helps the guitar work shine, and along with those haunting vocals I was mentioning earlier, you know that you’re set for some truly great music.
Perhaps what I like the most about this album is how, despite the production and everything else that may go against it, it’s still quite accessible and even catchy at times (I have found myself headbanging to tracks such as “Ages of Royal Bloodline” more than I can count), yet it still has that pure black metal essence that I love so much. All in all, all I can do is recommend you go check it out, as it is nothing to sleep on. 9.5/10 by Ioana
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