Review by Vladimir on June 2, 2024.

If you are someone who adores symphonic black metal bands with themes of stars and magic, then I am most certain that you definitely enjoy listening to beloved Limbonic Art. Bands like Limbonic Art are just hard not to love, especially with the kind of magic that you get from the mesmerizing quality and cosmic energy that flows through the music. Even though seven years have passed since their previous album was released, the band would return with its ninth full-length album Opus Daemoniacal which is due to be released on June 28th, 2024 via Kyrck Productions & Armour. In case you wish to once again travel into the draconic world that lies within The Yawning Abyss of Madness, then join me on this journey as I take a look at the new Limbonic Art album. 

Limbonic Art returns with its master craft of symphonic cosmic black metal from beyond the stars, in all its stellar glory that transcends you to deep space. Going back from the early beginnings with acclaimed works such as Moon In The Scorpio from 1996, the style and sound of the band remains all around the same as before, with the primarily strong emphasis on melodic guitar work with symphonic elements, double-bass/blast beat drums and harsh vocals, however with each new album there was always a slight difference in the overall vibe you get from it, and so is the case with Opus Daemoniacal. This album dictates a very demonical and draconic aura with its general otherworldliness and grandiose epicness, while every song feels like it slowly progresses towards even more unusual realms of the deep cosmos, while the album becomes increasingly heavier from the third track 'Consigned To The Flames' and moves onwards to even more demonical territories with 'Vir Triumphalis'. Something that always stood out to me about Limbonic Art was the fact that the music was always surrounded with this unique dark magic that is incredibly enchanting, making the album feel very atmospheric and moody, and here it’s heavily pronounced through the riff work and symphonics, almost like a very stellar horror story with a touch of Lovecraftian twist to it that adds more to the edge to the music. It’s definitely got a very strong psychological factor to it, because it affects you in such a way that it lets your imagination flow, creating powerful images in your head and keeping it constantly as the song goes. 

The songwriting of Limbonic Art was always full of dynamics and incredibly rich in its structure, ranging from frequent tempo changes to a variety of riff ideas, and this album is no exception by any means. In the case of this album, there is a lot of progression and complexity in the songwriting, pretty much raising the bar even higher with the solid instrumental work that doesn’t slow down at any given moment. When it comes to the style and direction of the band, Daemon always seemed to stick to one established musical template that he follows on from one song to another, while giving the absolute best to make each one stand out rightfully on its own. There were times when I felt a bit as if the songs were way too formulaic with the song structure and template, but on the other hand, I really felt like the album was capable of offering plenty of goods, especially with the song 'The Wrath Of Storms' that really became exceptional for me thanks to its amazing ideas. The biggest highlight about the album is that it surprisingly doesn’t feel one-dimensional or monotone, because it successfully manages to keep your attention constant and entertained all the way through, especially with the final twelve-minute track 'Ars Diavoli' which is like a symphonic black metal odyssey. On the final note, the production of Opus Daemoniacal is very top-notch and superb with its high-quality sound, which keeps the black metal edges sharp and the overall performance very tight. 

Overall, I find Opus Daemoniacal a very solid work that successfully encompasses everything that you would expect from a Limbonic Art album, providing traditional ideas that always feel fresh, worth checking out and faithful to the band’s roots. Although this album is not as good as some of its predecessors like Moon In The Scorpio and Epitome Of Illusions, its undeniable that the band’s game is still strong and everlasting 3 decades later, and with every album you are always in for a nice thrill ride that will take you to the world beyond the stars. Whether bands like Limbonic Art are your cup of tea or not, you simply cannot deny the fact that these stellar and cosmic black metal bands really keep the stars in the sky shining and make the northern skies darker. 

Rating: 8 out of 10