Sol Sistere - Sol Sistere (2021)

Unleashing one hell of a crafty and emotional release, today we have Chilean outfit Sol Sistere and their eponymous third full-length release. With over 60 minutes of intense Atmospheric Black Metal / Post-Black Metal music, this album delivers waves of aggression, melancholy alongside hellish vocals and very solemn passages. While most bands in these genres sound the same, this outfit manages to carve an original style that will certainly appeal to fans of outfits like Heretoir, Alcest, Harakiri for the Sky, etc.

After an instrumental opener, “The Narrow Path” fully demonstrates the band’s powerful sound with blistering onslaughts of aggression perfectly flanked by emotionally charged layered guitars and very melodic passages. Long tracks like “Ashes” showcase Sol Sistere’s ability to weave back and forth from traditional Atmospheric BM territories into dreamier and more melancholic territories, making them quite unique and engaging.

For those looking for punishing aggression similar to what Winterfylleth delivers, “Nothogagus” and “Black Mass” are some of the most intense pieces in this release. Our personal favorite tracks have to be the emotional instrumental “The Shimmer Pt II”, and the Deafheaven-esque “Unspoken Verb” and its dramatic guitars. However, the release closes with the most impressive piece, the album title track which is a 10-minute tour de force between lush melancholic passages, furious drumming, and ravaging screams.

Overall, “Sol Sistere” is one of those releases that will grab your attention and never let go. After listening to this album over a dozen times, we still manage to find new sublime details with each spin. Perfectly imprinting their own style and influences into two overly saturated genres, Sol Sistere unleashes a game-changing monster with this killer release.

Label: Cult of Parthenope

Release: October 15th, 2021

Genre: Atmospheric/Post Black Metal

Country: Chile