There are some records that you come upon and are able to jive with practically right out of the gate. Creations like that make my work as a reviewer quite easy while never once losing an ounce of enjoyability after finding an album out of hundreds to be sifted through. On occasion, however, you simply come across an album that you know you need more time with. It’s not because you’re on the fence on how you feel about the record, but you just know the work in question needs more time to marinate in your mind so you can really absorb all that it has to offer. That’s precisely what came upon me when I came before the latest from Kommodus months ago, and it’s now on the eve of the new year that I finally feel ready to tackle this work for all that it is. Even then, words can hardly do justice for such a powerful effort!

Given the sheer vastness of the black metal world across the decades, it’s only natural that we’ve reached a point that we’re able to be surrounded by acts new and old that both perfectly embody the genre for all that it can be as well as continuously show us just how much glory there is to be had. By all means, Kommodus is such an act that, despite being quite new relatively, is one that has made plenty of waves across the scene with this latest effort, “Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall”, arguably the act’s most compelling work to date as well as one of the most attractive black metal creations the entire year has dished out. Armed with a truly deadly understanding of what has always made this particular vein of black metal such a devastating craft, every given inch of “Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall” is nothing to underestimate from its themes to the instrumentations themselves. Far more than a mere collection of riffs even if they are extremely potent, it’s with the inclusions of acoustic passages, a cello, a violin, and likely more that I’ve missed amongst all the grandeur that Kommodus delivers an overall performance that is the embodiment of spellbinding! Combine it all with themes of overcoming extreme adversity and rising to become something much more than what you were before, “Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall” is as personal as it is intimate. Every single aspect of this creation was catered to really tap into the most primal reaches of the human psyche that strike chords with our instinctual sides to make the imagery, themes, and creativity of this record take on a new light that what we see in the vast majority of other black metal of today or even yesteryear.

From its cover art to its intoxicating decisions that enable one track to bleed into the next beautifully, Kommodus has certifiably made one of the most exhilarating creations in all of black when it comes to what 2023 has to offer. I knew when I came upon the work months ago that it was going to be something I considered to be among the year’s best, and it’s after all this time of really allowing the album to breathe and to dive into all that it has to offer that I know “Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall” is undoubtedly an intoxicating listen that needs to be experienced by anyone who calls themselves a black metal fan. Everything was done to result in an utterly exquisite creation through and through with the path forward for Kommodus seemingly only lined with one massive victory after another.

LISTEN to “Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall” on Bandcamp here.

FOLLOW Kommodus on Instagram here.