Ylva de Lune is ready for its second chapter.
Simply titled II, it comes out exactly four years after the first album created by Ylva (vocals) and Alpha (composition/all instruments).
Ylva‘s voice welcomes us on Lullaby, followed by a very calm and luminous instrumental piece into which her singing is integrated in a very natural and hypnotic way, but the apparent tranquility will soon be shattered when the rhythm section kicks in. The singer remains in a dreamlike register, and despite the violence, the riffs are still as soothing as ever, alternating between gentle floating and intoxicating fury infused with Black Metal before moving on to Where The Willow Tree Grows, which offers a slightly more raw approach. The vocals serve to calm the abrasive rhythm and enchant the few ethereal moments, but the track remains energetic until it gives way to Crimson Agony, where the notes float gently in the air once again. The rhythm finally reaches a more hazy and dark passage, then another more menacing one that revives the drums before the final, then Woven Into Tides offers us a majestic sound and a few bursts of energy. The piercing leads fulfill their role perfectly, tinging the rhythm with a heady touch, while the drums are more lively, leading to the haunting Black Stallions, which harmoniously takes its place and floods us with sweetness, weaving a fairly simple rhythm embellished by various effects. The sound breaks, then slowly revives to take us to Epitaph, the longest composition, which starts off fairly calmly, adorns itself with saturation, and takes us on a journey through its cloudy landscape where the riffs respond to and follow each other, progressing together towards Serenity, the final track that perfectly lives up to its name and closes the album with a real feeling of fulfillment.
Ylva de Lune‘s enchanting universe has that little touch of magic that fascinates us and makes II a timeless moment. Sometimes a little more violent but always ethereal, the duo’s riffs always have that airy and redeeming aura.
85/100
