Darkend – The Canticle of Shadows

[schema type=”review” name=”The Canticle of Shadows” description=”Label: Non Serviam Records” author=”Sabine van Gameren” pubdate=”2016-04-25″ ]
Symphonic Black Metal band Darkend from Italy has been around for about 10 years by now. The band released a debut in 2010 and is right now releasing album number three, “The Canticle of Shadows” is out now.

Sometimes you listen to an album and you wonder why this band has not been picked up wider than they are. Darkend is one of those bands. Straight from the beginning the guys give full sound. Complete, the guys radiate that they know exactly what to bring across. A very confident sound. The album has a strong start after an intro rules you into it. Melodic parts are taking a great part in the atmosphere but the vehemence that is in there equals it up easily. With a good balance between that the band creates an interesting playfield in which they have their long tracks taking you in. The band looked into a lot of difference influences as it seems, but Northern bands are having a strong competitor from the south coming up.
Remarkable is the track “Il Velo Delle Ombre” in which the band steps down the tempo a bit to let the whole sink in deeper before they reign on. Standing out on the album is the track “Sealed In Black Moon And Saturn”. The guys are giving a passionate display of what they are about. The vocals are truly coming across and the instrumental part is embracing it nicely, giving space to that.

Altogether we must conclude that this album by Darkend left us impressed. They gave us a quality that stands out over the many and it is clear the band have given it the time it needed to get here. Certainly one that we keep playing for a while!

Line up:
Ashes – Guitars
Valentz – Drums
Animæ – Vocals, Lyrics
Specter – Bass
Nothingness – Guitars
Antarktica – Keyboards

Tracklist: 01. Clavicula Salomonis 02. Of the Defunct 03. A Precipice Towards Abyssal Caves (Inmost Chasm, I) 04. Il velo delle ombre 05. A Passage Through Abysmal Caverns (Inmost Chasm, II) 06. Sealed in Black Moon and Saturn 07. Congressus cum Dæmone 08. Inno alla stagione dell’inverno (Fearbringer cover)

Links:
Darkend Facebook