Vargrav - Dimension: Daemonium (2026)

After kicking off the (proper) revival of old-school Symphonic Black Metal back in 2018 with “Netherstorm”, Vargrav has cranked out a few additional masterful releases. With “Dimension: Daemonium”, the band comes back after 3 years with eight tracks and over 42-minutes of their high-octane retro-inspired music, filled with dramatic synths and chilling atmospheres. For those fans of the genre, this release showcases Vargrav’s creativity and knack for writing some truly epic songs.

Setting a very cinematic and theatrical mood with the opener, the blistering “Ablaze Upon the Nocturnal Realms” unleashes that frosty old-school Symphonic Black Metal vibe as the magical keyboards permeate the atmosphere. Don’t get us wrong, the band is more than its atmospherics as their riffs are vicious, the drumming is punishing, and the vocals, handled by Graf Werwolf Von Armageddon (of Satanic Warmaster, etc.) since 2023, create a very cohesive and ravaging Black Metal core as “Moonfrost Storms”, “Dragons of Nightmare”, and “The Gates of My Dimension” showcase.

The mixture of high-octane intensity with atmospheric passages is very effective, creating songs that expertly transition between moods, but always pack a mean punch like on “Bleeding Galaxies”. The underlying melancholic elements in this release are well baked into intense and dramatic songs like the lush “Starlight Chalice”, one of our favorite tracks from the band. Closing with the fierce “Unveil the Enslavement of Lunar Prophecies”, the band is not fucking around when it comes to their whirlwind Black Metal style, which is perfectly adorned by additional elements.

As a whole, “Dimension: Daemonium” is one pummeling release filled with intense atmospherics and very well crafted songs. Vargrav excels in creating simple and yet effective melodies that when all the instruments get layered, are very effective in capturing the listener’s attention while bringing back nostalgic moments of the 90’s from bands like Tartaros, Limbonic Art, etc. If you are a fan of the genre and its modern contributors like Vargrav and Moonlight Sorcery, you will love this release.

Rating: 97/100