It’s always fascinating to bear witness to the evolution of any band no matter how big or small they may be. When a band is able to take their sound and morph it into something that is immensely different than where they started out with the line of evolution clear from their beginning. Some bands take their time while others seem to adapt and morph their style in virtually no time at all. Fellwarden is one clearly of the latter with their style certainly receiving a strong foundation with the band’s debut album seven years ago, yet it’s in the relatively short amount of time since that Fellwarden has become a force not to be denied in any form whatsoever.

Every band has a peak in some way or another with many finding different peaks in different albums with it certainly happening every now and then that everything just seems to come together like an immaculate puzzle. While I will not even entertain the thought of comparing Fellwarden’s catalog up to now as it’s everything they’ve dished out thus far, I dare say that their trajectory of quality has only been going up since day one after an already-immense beginning. It’s only been up for Fellwarden, and it has come to a new certifiable peak with all that “Legend” has to offer. A record that’s transcendent in damn near every way for Fellwarden, what we’re given here with a masterful amalgamation of the atmospheric blend of black metal that this act has become all but known for. From the captivating melodies to the expansive songwriting that allows Fellwarden to show off their sonic evolution in great detail while the very themes and concepts of each song pull you ever deeper into the depths of epic fantasy the likes of which we rarely see in black metal on a scale such as this. “Legend” stands as a truly magnificent experience that pushes Fellwarden to become much more while paying tribute to an influential force that quickly allows these six tracks to transform into a simply beautiful collective that offers far more than what I think many of us would normally expect.

Every step along the way offers new sights and wonders the likes of which feel downright fitting to see coming from Fellwarden with “Legend” as a whole all but certifiably the greatest achievement from the act to date. This is territory that we simply don’t get to so often whatsoever with incredibly few bands able to come even close to the level of mastery that we’re bearing witness to throughout the absolute entirety of this creation. By all intents and purposes, “Legend” demands to be hailed a grand work of the genre that’s not to be underestimated in the slightest.

“Legend” releases on June 14 via Eisenwald!

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

LIKE Fellwarden on Facebook here.