The sheer density of the world of black metal as we know it today is the very definition of staggering. From the smallest of names having a tiny but devout following to the rising names that are destined to take over the mantle of modern greats to the old-school veterans that are still showing us how the old ways are done right, there is something for anybody who finds themselves in the genre with time but the only thing against such a listener as there’s simply too much out there for it all to be heard by just one person. I am no exception from such an unspoken rule which has led me to not investigate names that would bewilder some simply because I haven’t gotten around to it. Since not long after its inception, the act known as Lamp of Murmuur has been one I have always meant to look into but never got around to. Now, though, with the impending arrival of “Saturnian Bloodstorm”, I find myself before this creation embarrassed that I have not acted sooner.

Whenever a band garners a particular reputation, that tends to be the expectation for newcomers without even hearing a single note from the act in question. In the case of Lamp of Murmuur, I was fully expecting a sound deeply rooted in the black metal underworld that was as cruel as it was interesting as it came into contact with much of what makes any cult name of the genre one to be investigated by the curious. It’s clear to me now, however, that some sort of metamorphosis has taken place with the new album from Lamp of Murmuur continuing down the path of a more melodic-driven sound with gothic themes that have been brought forth in their more recent creations with “Saturnian Bloodstorm” really seeming to drive home those new ideals in a fashion that is magnificently intoxicating from damn near every angle! With but six tracks to call its own, it should be obvious to any who steps into the realm of that Lamp of Murmuur holds complete, unquestionable dominion over that this is a record on a level that feels transcendent from the beginning with every given piece of the record building upon an already-known foundation of talent and knowledge of what makes black metal work so well in the first place. With melodies galore alongside tremendously powerful visions that are proper feasts for all the senses, “Saturnian Bloodstorm” will already be considered one of the year’s great releases by many, and I’m inclined to already agree with them. Lamp of Murmuur not only lives up to their reputation with all that’s been delivered in this effort, but the band makes it exceedingly clear why it has become one of the need-to-know acts in the modern landscape of black metal with this album but the latest sensation for us to lap up with great excitement. “Saturnian Bloodstorm” is a work that black metal is lucky to get even once a year, and with all that Lamp of Murmuur has brought to the table up to this point, I won’t be surprised if more than a few consider this the band’s crowning achievement to date.

No matter what Lamp of Murmuur may have started out as or how far across the spectrum of black metal they have traveled in order to arrive at this record, there is no way for me to deny the utter glory and magnificence of what has been summoned here! An exquisite performance down to the last and smallest details with a bombastic energy to match every possible moment, the grandeur of “Saturnian Bloodstorm” is nothing to be underestimated in even the slightest. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of catching up to do with the whole catalog of Lamp of Murmuur.

“Saturnian Bloodstorm” releases on March 26th via Argento Records and Not Kvlt!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Saturnian Bloodstorm” on Bandcamp here or via YouTube below.

FOLLOW Lamp of Murmuur on Instagram here.