Ildaruni plunges into darkness.
After beginning in Pagan Metal, the Armenian band led by Robert Meliksetyan (guitar), Arthur Poghosyan (drums), Artur Arushanyan (guitar) and Narek Avedyan (vocals, Avarayr) renews its collaboration with Black Lion Records for the release of its second album, Divinum Sanguinem.
Bass was recorded by Artak Karapetyan (bass/vocals, Eternally Scarred) before he left the band.
We are welcomed into a mysterious atmosphere by Mithras Alone is My Wreath, a fairly slow introduction with Eastern roots, accompanied by distant percussion and choirs, which leads us to The Ascension of Kosmokrator, a veritable wave of melodious and furious darkness that sweeps away our minds and buries us in its darkest and most oppressive influences. There are still some very majestic elements that contrast with the more aggressive vocals, as well as a few reminders of their wilder beginnings before a more martial finale, then Of Nomos and Flaming Flint Stone takes over and envelops us in its opaque mist before revealing its true strength. The biting harmonics don’t hold back, joining a frantic rhythm while imposing their dissonance and coldness, but the song remains fierce from start to finish, allowing itself only a real break with the bagpipes of Forged with Glaive and Blood, which offers a moment of escape. The lively and catchy roots quickly return and easily grab our attention again, but we also notice a much rawer passage that brings an extra wave of power before returning to a crazier style on Zurvan Akrane, multiplying the harmonics and unpredictable staccato patterns. A vocal sample then emerges, creating an almost disconcerting passage before the guitars once again compete with soaring notes to captivate us. The final solo is obviously more furious, contrasting with the tranquility of the beginning of Arcane Sermon, which allows us to collect our thoughts in a mystical atmosphere before shaking our heads again in rhythm with the devastating acceleration that takes over and reconnects with the ambient aggression. The choirs resurface to create a majestic touch before returning to much heavier and rawer sounds for a rather surprising finale leading into Immersion into Empyrean, which offers a slightly different touch made up of heady leads and more intoxicating veils of harmonics that make us lose track of time between two virulent charges. We still notice this much heavier passage before the track ends, followed by the Folk touch of Scorching Pathways to Samachi, which doesn’t last long and gives way to the familiar bellicose atmosphere that rages at a rapid pace, encountering various vocal parts that are more or less beastly, which will eventually close the track with this occult touch. It’s time for the album to come to an end with Divinum Sanguinem, the eponymous track that knows how to indulge in pure violence and heart-wrenching melodies as well as more moderate moments that combine soaring percussion with fairly soft riffs and hypnotic choirs, but also alternates naturally between the two atmospheres before an exhilarating final.
Ildaruni has not denied his roots, willingly integrating them into his new, much darker and more ethereal mix, which gives Divinum Sanguinem a slightly more diverse flavor, alternating between rage and a certain soaring tranquility.
90/100
