Band: Darkness Ablaze
Title: Shadowreign
Label: Black Bards Entertainment
Distribution: Sonic Rendezvous
Release date: 04/09/2010
Review: CD

Darkness Ablaze were originally formed as Myrkwid in April 2002 by Alexander Huber (g), Jens Podzierski (k) and Rüdiger Einholz (b). Very soon after, Theo Georgitsaros joined to fill the current position as vocalist. With the use of a drum computer, the band recorded the demo Pagan Battle, and after the recruitment of a real drummer, Attila Fischer, Myrkwid changed its moniker into the current one, Darkness Ablaze.After several line-up changes and after signing to the pretty young yet successfully upcoming German Folk / Power / Heavy / Thrash / Pagan Metal label Black Bards Entertainment, Darkness Ablaze finally released their self-called debut full length album in 2008. The review was posted on this site in Summer 2009.

At the end of August 2009, Darkness Ablaze started working on the registration of the second full length, Shadowreign, with producer/ engineer/ mixer/ master Christof Brandes (of Necrophagist/ Dead Eyes Sleeper/ Ingrimm/ Unlight/ Fragments Of Unbecoming/ …-fame) at his famous Iguana Studio. With Shadowreign, the sextet (among whom former Crisis Never Ends-drummer Sascha Beul) created a logical yet at the same time highly acceptable successor of the nameless debut. What differs from the nameless debut is the growth. The band’s first full length was an acceptable one, yet nothing more, but Shadowreign is better in almost all aspects. Without being too excited or turned on, because this album isn’t the best recording in history, of course, I need to mention the higher level of the song writing, going for both compositions as well as performance. And sound too, with a production that is heavy and clear/clean at the same time. Overall, however, the album goes on in the vein of the first full length, and it means a mixture of melodic and sometimes intense Metal-genres, like Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Pagan Metal and Folk (Metal). Yes, Metal indeed! The combination of a slightly catchy approach and several harsh, merciless yet not unnecessary parts, is a real refreshment within this brutally overcrowded scene.

Yet again: there is better, stronger and more interesting material too nowadays, so it’s up to you… However: recommended to fans of melodic and technical Pagan / Black / … Metal.

80/100

Ivan Tibos.