#AlbumReview: KØVVNS – Descent Beyond Abyss
Artist: KØVVNS
Title: Descent Beyond Abyss
Label: Independent
Release date: July 29th, 2026
Country: USA
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording
#AlbumReview: KØVVNS – Descent Beyond Abyss by Pegah
KØVVNS is a Portland, Maine-based project exploring the darker edges of ritual drone, dark ambient, black drone, and blackened noise. Described through its own aesthetic as “occult blackened ritual drone,” the project has developed a sound that is steeped in darkness and mysticism. With releases dating back to 2019, KØVVNS has continued to explore long-form compositions and immersive soundscapes. KØVVNS’s most recent release, “Descent Beyond Abyss”, arrived in July 2026. The release continues this exploration of shadowy, immersive soundscapes, inviting the listener into yet another descent into the unknown.
Imagine standing by the sea, watching the waves spread across the shore, accompanied by the cries of seagulls beneath a cloudy sky. As the sound of the waves and seagulls gradually fades away, another layer emerges within the soundscape, slowly pulling you in. There is no way to escape; you move forward as the waves gradually draw you into the depths. This is how the listener feels with the opening track of the album, “The Tides Communion Beckons”.
As one is drawn deeper into the sea, the soundscape changes, becoming steadier and more repetitive, embodying the underwater world. The sounds in “Rolling Waves: My Eternal Firmament” evoke the stillness, darkness, and slow movement of the depths, creating the feeling of being suspended beneath the surface, far from the world above. This feeling continues in “Descent Beyond Abyss, Whispered Echoes From Blow”.
The soundscape still evokes the feeling of being submerged in the depths, with steady and repetitive sounds creating an atmosphere of stillness and darkness. With only subtle changes taking place throughout the composition, it feels as though one is hearing the echoes of those who have fallen. It continues the same descent, keeping us suspended in the depths. Yet this descent feels different; it takes the listener far beyond the familiar depths, pulling us further into the void. 7/10
7/10: Victory is Possible!
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