If you’re even a little familiar with the current black metal scene you’ll notice that atmosphere is literally everywhere. It seems to permeate every layer of the scene, and at some point, there always come along a few bands that manage to take trends to new levels. Enter Great Cold Emptiness whose run in the underground hasn’t been the most well known, but it’s been promising. Returning from a three-year silence, this act delivers us a record like incredibly few others even with the current state of constant innovation and reinvention of metal.

To describe a black metal record of any kind as “cinematic” is asking me to imagine something crazy, but that, of course, is not the case here with this massive piece. I’m not sure how I haven’t heard of Great Cold Emptiness years ago given the last EP from this act was a single 30+ minute song, and I live for that shit! Yet, sadly, I missed out and it wasn’t until just a few days ago I saw that splendid cover on Facebook. Hence, I investigated. Hence, I was amazed. Just having black metal that’s both cinematic and atmospheric is more than enough for me, but tossing a tasteful layer of funeral doom on top of that makes it a ridiculously savory experience. It may be a slow ride at first, but the glory of “Miles Before I Sleep” comes from the instrumentation itself and the theme of the record. From beautiful orchestration to scathing, yet brilliantly contained, black metal, no stone is left untouched by Great Cold Emptiness in this grand journey of a single man. What, exactly, is worth searching for years and years for? For the man that takes center focus in “Miles Before I Sleep”, it’s wisdom. It’s something that all people want, and we through a lot for it which this record also covers wonderfully with themes of nostalgia, solitude, and yearning gracing “Miles Before I Sleep”. Combine all that with the immaculate blackened funeral doom that truly knows how to bring things up a notch and that allows Great Cold Emptiness to put themselves away from the main crowd of black metal with utmost ease.

Saying that any band isn’t part of the general archetype of most if not any of the many styles of black metal can sometimes seem like a real stretch, but I always use it with purpose. Much like acts such as Gaerea and Arkheth who’ve recently shown how good you can be outside the norm of an already intense style, Great Cold Emptiness takes an already niche sound into a greater plane where the band can really show off their power. In every form, “Miles Before I Sleep” is a stupendous experience that is a true rollercoaster and one that needs to be ridden a couple of times to say that you’ve truly experienced the majesty.

LISTEN to “Miles Before I Sleep” on Bandcamp here or via YouTube below.

LIKE Great Cold Emptiness on Facebook here.