Am Himmel - As Eternal (2022)

Unleashing some creepy and aurally dominating release, today we have Dutch outfit Am Himmel and their opus “As Eternal”. With a ‘weirder’ approach to Post-Black Metal, this band creates roughly 37 minutes of captivating music with the magic of bands like An Autumn for Crippled Children and Lustre mixed in with a darker and drone-ish edge. Not recommended for close-minded people, this album is more of an aural exploration than your typical cookie-cutter BM.

Opening with the piercing “Bleared By The Infinite Wings”, the listener instantly knows this is a completely different release. The fuzzy and yet dreamy atmospherics are nicely flanked by harsh screams, delivered in a very monotonic way, creating a unique and engaging atmosphere. Things get dreamier and a bit shoegazy on “The Patience and Silence of a Saint’s Death”, a piece that slowly builds up momentum and creates plenty of tension.

The release progresses with the crushing “The Virgin Wages Celestial War in the Seraphim” and the drone-y brilliance of “The Fumes of thy Preposterous Torment”, a track featuring more of an Author and Punisher vibe and deeper growls. Our favorite piece has to be the melancholic “The Bewildered Firstling Thrusts the Knife Into” and its mysterious atmospherics.

Closing with the faster paced “As Eternal As The Starless Kingdom of Sorrow”, we are glad that bands like Am Himmel exist and create music that continues to push the boundaries. While some of the elements combined here might intuitively not make sense to mix, this outfit has managed to make them work and create a truly haunting and expansive release.

Label: Burning World Records

Release: June 30th, 2022

Genre: Experimental Black Metal

Country: Netherlands