Kildonan - Embers (2024)

As a continuation of Vostok, Hamish MacKintosh returns with “Embers”, the debut release of Kildonan. With a very emotionally charged Black/Doom Metal style, this release features six tracks and nearly 40 minutes reminiscent of a mixture of Bethlehem on their “Dictius Te Necare” era, and Death/Doom Metal musings. Creating a very deep and powerful atmosphere, this is one of those sleeper releases that we found ourselves enjoying a lot more than we expected.

Opening with the dreamy atmospherics of the title track, we are treated to dramatic clean vocals, harrowing harsh screams and a very Doomy vibe with Black Metal infused riffs. Kind of similar to Déhà and his exploits on his solo project as well as some Acathexis thrown into the mixture. We particularly love the piercing atmosphere created by the heavy Doom riffs of songs like “Ioliar-Bhuidhe” and “A Desperate Leap for Salvation” and their contrast with heavier and more brutal tempos.

The emotional rollercoaster continues with the demoralizing “Garden of Forking Pathways” and its fierce aggressive onslaughts. The crafty guitar work alongside an excruciating tempo creates a very crushing effect. Our favorite track has to be the Fen-esque “Tobar Mheasain” and its engaging guitar leads alongside its use of multiple vocal styles. In a similar vein, “To Gaze Upon the Infinite” masterfully closes this release with more theatrics thanks to its commanding clean vocals alongside its emotive melodic guitars.

Overall, “Embers” is a masterful release that captures emotions in a very raw and yet polished way. Hamish MacKintosh has managed to craft some uniquely excruciating songs that dive into many emotions and expertly shift gears to inflict the most pain. If you like music that is extreme, melodic, highly melancholic, and very well crafted, look no further and check this one out.

Label: Caligari Records

Release: December 13th, 2024

Genre: Doom/Black Metal

Country: UK