The bewildering underground of black metal is something that has been thriving well before the marvel of Bandcamp was even a glimmer in the eyes of its founders, and it’s still something that’s going on strong to this very moment. There aren’t very many acts that are able to capture the old sound in a new or intriguing way for those of us still digging, but there’s always at least a few acts to deliver such glory. Onirik has been a reliable source for such material for years now, but it’s with the latest that the band should leave a bigger mark on the scene than ever before.

Absolutely rooted in what made black metal such an occult beast to obsess over ever since the first day it was conceived, Onirik has become a rare treat for anyone who was lucky enough to discover them before recently. Such acts aren’t nearly hailed enough, but, for the lucky few, praise is something that simply requires time like what we’re seeing here with Onirik. The band’s name is still far from commonly regarded amongst the scene (to my knowledge, at least), but I have faith that if anything’s to change that it’s “The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity”. Right from the very first few notes, you can instantly tell that the brand of classic mastery that Onirik is bringing forward here isn’t anything to be fucked with nor underestimated and it’s through all seven tracks that we see exactly why that’s the case. Every inch of what’s on display throughout “The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity” is everything that so many fans of the style are always clamoring for without exception with every element here being something to be marveled at. With hypnotic drums paving the way for blazing strings and intense vocals that are anything but disappointing, Onirik really dug deep for this record with nothing but victory in mind throughout the practice of his black art and there’s no way you could convince me that “The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity” isn’t a tremendous win for everything that Onirik stands for. It’s a record that doesn’t do much to shake up the classic sound by any means other than bringing a modern flair to it, but that didn’t stop this record from becoming a real standout work in many regards.

This is very much one of those works that any modern black metal fan who’s worth their own salt is going to want to check out for it has virtually everything possible going for it. Onirik doesn’t skimp in any category with this album and it’s by the end of “The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity” that you’ll be left clamoring for more of that delicious flame that has been served up so beautifully throughout these seven scathing tracks.

“The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity” releases on September 25th via I, Voidhanger Records!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity” on Bandcamp here.

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