Review by George on February 26, 2020.

If there's one word to describe Thrawsunblat's third full length offering, that word is atmosphere. There's so much to get lost in and a full hour to do so. The muddy production matches the atmosphere perfectly, allowing the instruments to form a thick, impenetrable wall of sound yet still remain catchy and emotional. The composition is flawless; clean vocals and soft passages are placed exactly where the atmosphere needs changing to tell an epic tale of adventure, sorrow and discovery. The best example of this comes at the end of track four. 'Hypochthonic Remnants' is one of the more intense songs on the album, telling of a "post-terranean vastland" where humanity has been taken over by technology and lost its touch with nature. But in the final moments, the mood completely changes as a slower ambience takes us to a peaceful forest where we can finally "shrug off the wires and in cool cedar air, think with forgotten clarity." This is one of the most chilling moments on any metal album I've heard; every time I hear it, it takes me through the emotions of finding solace in a bleak age, of forgetting the woes of modern times and through nature remembering what humans are meant to be.

The way harsh and clean vocals are contrasted on Metachthonia is simply astounding. One moment you'll be immersed in a dark, menacing atmosphere supported by fast riffs and despairing, blackened shrieks, and the next you'll be singing along to a catchy folk chorus. In fact, this goes beyond just vocals. It's incredible how flawlessly Thrawsunblat combine black metal riffs, soft folk passages and even the occasional few seconds of silence to serve as a transition between movements.

When some types of metalheads hear the words 'atmospheric black', they think of a boring slog of an album where one track can't be told apart from another. Every song on Metachthonia, however, has at least one element to make it stand out from the rest. Examples include the second movement of 'She Who Names the Stars', a verse which grows and grows in intensity, constantly on the verge of a dramatic climax but not quite getting there (which makes it so much more satisfying when it does, about four lines after you first thought it was going to) and Rae Amitay's stunning vocal contributions in 'Dead of Winter'. Seriously, these nine minutes alone make me respect Rae as the best female vocalist in metal and one of the best overall. Part of me wishes she'd sung on more parts of this album than just two movements of track 3, but I realize that would reduce the impact her vocals have, so it's probably best her contributions were limited in the way they were. Finally, 'In Mist We Walk' contains a flurry of triumphant solos, ending the album on an epic note.

To conclude, I firmly believe Metachthonia is one of the top five metal albums ever recorded, an essential listen for any fan of black metal. Do yourself a favor and listen to this masterpiece.

Rating: 10 out of 10