Mixing black metal with dungeon synth is far from a novel concept nowadays with the latter seeing a crazy explosion in recent years, and when it’s done right the combo can make for something really, really interesting. But, like a lot of atmospheric black metal, it can just as easily fall apart and become something not much more than a passing thought. When I dove into what Boreal has created with their most recent effort, I didn’t know what to expect but what I ended up with is nothing short of surprisingly awesome.

Of all the things that I was expecting to hear out of an album that brings dungeon synth and black metal together, practically none of it was what I encountered here. Obviously, they work off each other to create vast contrasts in atmosphere that also work together amazingly well, but that’s about where the similarities end because many other tropes are thrown right out the window. “The Battle of VOSAD” has a much higher production value than much of its competition, the music is constantly gripping from every instrument, and the quality is consistent throughout all of the album to make these four tracks incredibly interesting right from the beginning. There’s true power in this album, and Boreal brought it to life beautifully at every turn as “The Battle of VOSAD” really knows how to suck you in with the drums (my particular favorite part) catching you right from the beginning to keep you enraptured the whole time, the atmosphere is simply captivating at every point throughout the album, and the quality of it all feels second to none as Boreal consistently shows us they know what they’re doing by constantly delivering the goods on a scale that I still can’t get over.

With many albums like this coming out nowadays, there’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever that this stands as one of the best of what I’ve heard, and I find it hard to imagine that anyone will be able to surpass “The Battle of VOSAD” for they’ll have to blow everything out of the water in order to pull that off. Boreal has been around for some time and everything about this record displays that beautifully at every possible turn.

“The Battle of VOSAD” releases on May 1st!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “The Battle of VOSAD” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Boreal on Facebook here.