The world of cosmic black metal is one that I’ve always been interested in but it’s also long been something that I’ve visited only on rare occasion. With acts like Midnight Odyessy, Mare Cognitum, and Mesarthim decorating the style while simultaneously leading the charge for it, it’s been hard for me to come back to acts other than them when it comes to cosmic black metal. But tonight I really wanted to change that, and it’s with the latest EP from Nebula Orionis that I believe I couldn’t have made a better choice!

It’s always difficult for a band to put together their sound in a way that gives the listener an accurate representation of their approach in a simple EP. But, given the infinite wisdom of the universe, we still somehow get bands that manage to do just that, and Nebula Orionis has done just that with “Soulshard” to show us that this Russian act is one that should not be ignored for even a second! What we get here is a tantalizing display of cosmic black metal that doesn’t rely that much on atmosphere as I initially expected, but throw in a ton of melody combined with both sheer tenacity and undeniable musicianship, and “Soulshard” is a banger of an EP that surpassed all expectations! Every single one of these five tracks give us an amazing idea of how Nebula Orionis approaches this niche style of black metal while still showing us that he’s not afraid to branch out just a little to really make the sound stand out amongst there rest as where some bands depend on atmosphere or electronic grooves to pull you in, “Soulshard” has a cinematic essence and gripping melody to boast of.

Being able to do all of that in a mere EP is incredibly difficult, but it’s seemingly with an ease that Nebula Orionis shows us exactly what he’s made of. With another album on the very near horizon, “Soulshard” has given us but a taste that makes us want to devour the full course meal that’s in the making, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into that after digesting this absolute stunner of an EP!

LISTEN to “Soulshard” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Nebula Orionis on Facebook here.