I could sit here all day about the very up and down nature about everything that is atmospheric black metal. It’s something that I’ve talked about in length, and can easily become something that can be as entrancing as it can be uninspired. It really does feel like there isn’t a band that can be in the middle of the spectrum. While the latest work from Skognatt is far from uninspired and it’s got the potential to grow into something so much more which you can feel all throughout this EP.

Just three tracks aren’t really enough to leave a lasting impression, but it’s more than enough to give us a hint as to what exactly any act can bring to the table if it’s done with any sort of competency or semblance of intrigue. It could be argued that many bands of the style are just repeating the same stuff over again, but there’s still enough to squeeze out of it if the style’s put into the right hands, and it’s here that Skognatt definitely proves that with every inch of “Autumn Skies” doing its best to do justice to all of atmospheric black metal without sounding wholly unoriginal. We’re given plenty of the flavors of what makes the style interesting to begin with as Skognatt shows a clear understanding of how to bring it all together wonderfully such that it fits together nicely such that they all work off each other brilliantly. We’re treated to plenty of acoustic moments that can effortlessly come from and flow into the black metal with all being done without much trouble whatsoever. Now, that’s far from a unique thing in the style anymore, but “Autumn Skies” makes it work far better than many other because of the high production value that went into it all versus what sounds like recordings done in the basement or in the middle of the woods compared to what’s done here, and Skognatt uses it to great advantage at every possible turn. Just that alone shows us how much more serious Skognatt was in creating “Autumn Skies” than what many other acts try to accomplish with three times the material in a single release, and if that’s a testament to how good Skognatt can be then I don’t know what is.

Despite not really doing anything to stand out from the larger section of the scene, it’s clear that Skognatt stands at least a level about a large section of what the rest of the scene can bring to the table even though the act still has a long way to go before becoming something worth going crazy over. So much of what we get from “Autumn Skies” is enough to make something really interesting, and I wouldn’t put too much doubt in this band when it comes to becoming much better very quickly.

LISTEN to “Autumn Skies” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Skognatt on Facebook here.