For some time now, the world of black metal has become quite a scene to bear witness to ever since the digital era for metal really went into full swing with plenty of names emerging in the early days with even today still providing one flood after another when new acts constantly coming out of the woodwork. For twelve years now, Oak Pantheon has been one name that has never been one to deny for all that it has managed to bring to the table and execute in an exquisite fashion as it’s every time new material comes around that we are all but compelled to pause and take notice. It’s been five years since the last outing from the Minnesota act, but it’s now time again to stop and take part in another piece of certifiable glory of a kind that the act continues to perfect.

There hasn’t been a single craft from Oak Pantheon that hasn’t been worthy of investigation in my opinion. Every time the band comes around with something fresh, it’s always hailed as one of the more interesting pieces in any given year be it a split, EP, or new full-length album with the track record of Oak Pantheon up to this point proving quite fruitful in each of those releases. Five years is a long gap for a band that always seemed busy before the pandemic hit, but it’s now with “The Absence” that the silence has ended with the ensuing eight tracks both precisely what we could come to expect from this venerated act as well as the next step in the name’s natural evolution. For over forty minutes, we’re presented with the sound that Oak Pantheon has been delivering for years now with a strong core of black metal being revolved by tasteful uses of atmosphere, folk, and post-metal influences to really make for a listen that easily teeters between ethereal wonder and calculated black metal that does its themes nothing but supreme just with the band never once backing down from its key ideals that have always been a part of its identity. Brought together, “The Absence” quickly becomes a piece that is a delicious return for longtime fans and a brilliant entry for those unfamiliar with Oak Pantheon with the whole of this record begging to be hailed as one of the essential creations from the band with it having all that Oak Pantheon has ever dared to present with quality high and fascination endless once you enter its depths.

This is the kind of record that is all but expected from the likes of Oak Pantheon. Far from groundbreaking in more ways than one but more than enough to really capture the masses and deliver on all of its promises, “The Absence” is captivating and powerful in virtually every way as Oak Pantheon has only aged like the finest of wines with their executions becoming all the more fascinating as the band hones their skills to deadly effect with the resulting material here somewhat expected but no less scrumptious to lap right up.

LISTEN to “The Absence” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Oak Pantheon on Facebook here.