Schattenvald is now a full band.
Formed in 1998 as a solo project by Nachtsturm (all instruments, formerly of Cryptic Wintermoon, Agrypnie…), the band was forced to take two hiatuses before recruiting Iskharian (vocals) in 2011, followed by Tyrann (bass) in 2024. In 2026, with the help of Solistitium Records, the band released Alle hernach, their seventh album.
After a flash of lightning, Dämmertage takes off at full speed, displaying increased ferocity as the vocals join the dark onslaught, adding a more human and visceral touch to a rhythm section with strong Old School roots. The blast beat paves the way for screeching leads, then a voice guides us to Auf alten Pfaden, a track with more upbeat melodies infused with Pagan Metal that fit perfectly with this aggressively driven foundation, even creating an interesting contrast at times, much like on Die alte Mühl’ im wilden Wald, which creates a colder atmosphere. The track features haunting harmonics that blend perfectly with the successive waves, almost shifting direction midway to offer intoxicating keyboards before returning to its coldness to lead into Der Nachtwanderer, which is very solemn yet simultaneously more violent, raw, and almost martial in its vocals. The long instrumental sections are more imposing, almost haunting, carrying us into snowy landscapes before finally letting an acoustic section lead us to the finale, then to Im Nachtenschein, which remains in this majestic, almost luminous slowness. We do, however, encounter a few accelerations that remind us of the speed of the previous tracks while retaining their share of mystery, then the melodies ignite on Wenn dereinst der Berg rief, the album’s longest track with its various sections: starting off quite ethereal, the sound cuts out with a sampled voice to become slower and more theatrical, flaring up again before offering us a crystalline interlude before the slightly darker, Dark Ambient-oriented final. We’ve already arrived at Winterland / Alle hernach, which launches into an icy and ultimately quite haunting whirlwind, particularly in the harmonics that dance like wisps of smoke, then returns to a clear sound accompanied by keyboards to enchant us one last time before the final ascent of violence, then silence.
On Alle hernach, Schattenvald takes us on a journey through the frozen mountains with scathing, uncompromising Black Metal. While some passages are steeped in pure violence, others are far more melodic and effortlessly carry our spirits away.
90/100
Version Française ?