Band: Dark Fortress
Title: Ylem
Label: Century Media
Distribution: EMI
Release date: 25/01/2010
Review: CD

I know there does / did exist a German band called Dark Fortress, playing melodic Heavy Metal, but who cares about this shit? This is a review about the Black-formation from Landshut, Bavaria – much more interesting than etc…
This one was formed at the end of the first half of the nineties, and throughout the years the formation did satisfy my misanthropy-lusting ears time after time – you can still read the marvellous (of course) review of the last album (the second on Century Media, by the way), Eidolon, done by (it), posted on 10/02/2008.
Ylem is comparable to the last albums, of course, but there has been some evolution. Still the band brings a Post-oriented form of Black Metal, but it sounds less Satyricon-influenced this time. Indeed, Dark Fortress have really (read: finally?) found a completely personalised orientation – an evolution appreciated by (it) with sardonic pleasure and grim satisfaction. This element is clearly present within the sound; the latter being less mechanical than before (yet without being suddenly-organic, believe me) (and in this band’s case there’s nothing, I repeat: NOTHING, wrong with not being organic!).
Ylem is full of surprises. The many tempo-changes are well-balanced. Some parts are fast and furious, almost blasting, but the anti-pole is slow, low, down. Also the melodies aren’t always that evident or predictable. Sometimes industrialised in sound and compositional approach, then again melodic or haunting. Vocally it fits too. New vocalist Morean (also in Noneuclid, another project by some Dark Fortress-members) has a wide vocal range and in each situation his voice fits perfectly to the instrumental interpretations. And what about the addition of unusual parts / pieces: semi-acoustics, mesmerizing melodies, Doom-oriented riffs etc…?...
Believe me: the former albums weren’t just ‘lucky shots’. This album proves that Asvargyr, Victor Santura and the rest of the horde do know how to create and bring grimly-haunting blackness with a superior excellence.
Another magnificent Dark Fortress-release!!!

90/100

Ivan Tibos.