Not to be confused with the German act also bearing this moniker, this long running and enduring Italian black metal band has been around for more than two decades and have probably never received the recognition they so richly and rightly deserve. Whilst black metal is the foundation for their music, they have a uniqueness that is brought about by the inclusion of acoustic passages, which meld into the songs with awesome sublimity. The band has a plethora of releases covering full lengths, EPs and numerous splits as this latest EP should keep fans satisfied whilst a new album comes out, whenever that will be.
There are two new numbers plus three live recordings here as the EP kicks off with the title track and immediately, you’re immersed into the Frostmoon Eclipse world, their inimitable brand of song writing unveiling melodic riffing that possesses a slight progressive feel to without reduction in power. Emotive power is something the band has always had in their songs, it has such dramatic texture that few bands can match its style, as the opener envelops the listener in its melancholic obsidian shroud. ‘Relentless, Circling’ follows using a drum opening with bass riff creating something a little different again as at times the song reminded me of Danish avantgarde metallers Slægt due to the way the song twists and contorts through a raft of riffs and moods. With tempo dynamics aplenty the song runs the gamut of slower pieces coupled to blasted section with great results, ensuring high momentum.
There are three live tunes here and whilst the sound has been clearly taken from the desk with minimal background noise, it does serve to show that these Italians can pull this stuff off live too, I know because I’ve seen them do it. ‘Hell Thousandfold’ is the first live tune on offer, recorded in Varese, Italy May 2018. The acoustic blending is expertly crafted showing just how adept this band is as ‘Devoured’ follows, a song that featured on the 2011 EP ‘A Ticket To Nowhere’ plus a split. Again the band demonstrates their skill and whilst I would prefer some backing noise to live tunes you cannot deny the unerring talent as the EP closes with ‘Torn Apart By The Withering Voices Of Deceit’, a ten minute mournful epic, encapsulating everything that makes Frostmoon Eclipse so enthralling. Here we get some audience noise, very lightly embedded as the song unfurls a cool isolated riff that typifies their sombre approach, as some of you will think there is a Dissection trait running through the song. As the pace switches the band use a spoken vocal to great effect before the dramatically positioned blast beat. Again, there are deluges of tempo changes, as the speed shows a relentless nature, almost hypnotic as the semi-acoustic phrasing filters in majestically offering that trademark nuance the band has. I wasn’t keen on the fade out of the song as live tracks don’t really do that, but overall this is a cracking EP for fans to satiate their Frostmoon Eclipse appetite and for those of you new to the band you can get a taste of both worlds, studio and live for this truly unique band.
(8/10 Martin Harris)
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