Review by Dominik on February 20, 2025.

Poland has been a breeding ground for some of the most intense and refined black metal acts of the past two decades, and In Twilight's Embrace is no exception. With members also being active in acts like Blaze of Perdition, we look at an impressive, collected experience that is reflected in the band's last work Lifeblood. This is a band that knows exactly what it's doing. I was familiar with their work on Vanitas, which was solid, skipped the follow-up, and now find myself absolutely floored by Lifeblood. If there was ever an album that should be played at irresponsible volumes, here is one of the few.

The name In Twilight's Embrace is misleading. You might expect something melancholic, a somber farewell as the last rays of light fade. A moniker that lulls you into a false sense of security, evoking images of a gentle descent into darkness, a slow embrace of the inevitable. How poetic. How utterly incorrect. The introduction to "The Death Drive" might support the illusion for a moment, but as soon as the full band kicks in, you're thrown into a relentless, seething storm. While the name may suggest a balance between light and darkness, a transitionary state so to say, there is no doubt that this balance is seriously disturbed and light remains a faint, ancient memory long gone. Lifeblood ensures that darkness is the only thing left standing.

From the outset, Lifeblood shows an impressive ability to merge melody, aggression, and sheer nihilistic force. Once again, the quality of Polish black metal is on full display here. The band expertly blends familiar elements into something that feels both fresh and crushing. The vocals are harsh yet restrained, delivered with an ominous sense of control by a frontman, who has accepted his fate but wants to make damn sure you understand it too. The guitars weave melodies that sound foreboding, desperate, and aggressive all at once. And then there's the drummer—clearly a former blacksmith, given the way he hammers his kit into submission. Tempos shift constantly, but everything remains razor-sharp, meticulously calculated for maximum impact.

The album reaches its early pinnacle with "Smoke And Mirrors", a song that immediately wraps his cold hands around your black heart and squeezes mercilessly. From the first note, it's clear that this is the album's defining moment. The balance between suffocating aggression and eerie melody is so perfectly measured it could have been mixed by an alchemist. Halfway this masterpiece culminates into a maelstrom of frantic emotions. Other than the song title may suggest, there is no trickery, no illusion, just black metal as it should be. If you decide to check out Lifeblood and have plans for the day, don't start with this track unless you're prepared to be trapped in a never-ending loop of repeat listens.

Even when the band momentarily slows the pace, as in the opening of the title track, the intensity never wavers. These moments aren't acts of mercy and don't offer respite—they're bait. You lean in, momentarily lulled, and the next thing you know, you're being dragged straight back into the abyss, only to be devoured by the sonic storm that follows.

Maybe this is a good moment to praise and reflect a bit on the band members performance. The musicianship on Lifeblood is outstanding. The drumming is tight yet organic, never feeling robotic. The guitar work is stunning, effortlessly shifting between searing aggression and eerie, melodic passages. The vocals are delivered with a controlled, articulate fury, full of subliminal threat and slightly distorted in the mix. Between songs they switch from English to Polish, as if to remind you that suffering transcends language barriers. Even the bass, often criminally underappreciated in this genre, deserves an honorary mention—though you might need a stethoscope to locate it in the mix. However, in the light of the remaining band members performance, I insist to accept that it delivers an immaculate presentation as well.

I love it, when for the tiniest bit of time, you are being misled of what's to come. "So Bleeds The Night" starts with the frontman nearly sounding new wave-ish, the musical foundation flirting with gothic influences, before snapping back into black metal fury. Midway through, timid guitars duel with a drum assault so intense it feels personal, while the vocals continue their merciless tirade. There is no relief, only escalation.

"Te Deum" closes an incredibly strong, memorable album, showcasing for a last time the band's seamless transitions between controlled chaos and outright devastation. Before the final blasts die away and the lead guitar shines a last time, the frontman wails and rages like a madman from hell, sealing the album's place as a modern black metal triumph. If In Twilight's Embrace continues on this path without watering down their sound, the world is in for more beautifully orchestrated ruin.

Any flaws you ask? Go and screw yourself.

Rating: 9.2 out of 10, because this album doesn't just embrace the twilight, it drags you straight into the darkness. Perfection is an illusion, but this album comes disturbingly close.