Altar Ov Asteria - Éna (2024)

Hailing from Dresden, Germany, today we have the enigmatic duo Altar Ov Asteria and their debut full-length release “Éna”. With a sound as furious as outfits like Behemoth, Hate, etc., this release also delves in the more melodic and atmospheric, unleashing five tracks and over 33 minutes of demoralizing and highly refined Black Metal. For fans of the finer and better produced offerings of the genre, this release showcases a highly promising band and top notch execution.

Opening with the incisive “Arroganz”, we had to do a double take to make sure we didn’t have Behemoth playing. The crushing vocals perfectly blend with the savage riffing and blistering drumming, however, not everything is as it first seems as the band can instantly pull back and unleash more precise melodic onslaught. With a more atmospheric edge, “Fegefeuer” nicely warms up before unleashing its venomous riffs and crafty tempo changes.

The onslaught continues with the crushing “Hesperus” and its piercing guitars alongside hellish vocal onslaughts. Again, this track reminds us of Behemoth and their power, however, this outfit adds their own flair and keeps things dynamic and engaging, being far from just a copy of the Polish greats. Our favorite track is “Kataklysm”, and its sheer riffing power creates a very intense headbanging craving.

As the release closes with the sinister “”Pilatus”, we are left quite impressed with "Éna". For a debut release, Altar Ov Asteria has managed to arrive with a crushing and well polished sound that puts most Black Metal outfits to shame. This enigmatic duo, Satyra and Melpomene, two female members, has managed to create a very powerful and punishing release that masterfully captures some of the best elements of the genre while giving their sound their own spin.

Label: Dusktone

Release: November 29th, 2024

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Germany