At any given moment, there are names in every corner of the metal underground that have gotten attention, received great accolades that are more than deserving, and then silence. It’s an odd phenomenon as plenty of those acts can easily go almost an entire decade without doing much like what happened with Symbolik, and black metal has no shortage of such acts. As one, Eldamar has been a name that has always managed to come around in  many Bandcamp circles since its 2016 debut. After a full-length the following year, Eldamar has been undeniably quiet outside a demo and a compilation. Now, finally, after seven years it’s time for Eldamar to remind why they become a hot name to begin with.

Given the right circumstances and with the proper amount of tactful decisions, a thematical shift can be just as effortless as it can be challenging for any band hoping to tap into anything even remotely different. That was surely part of the dilemma Eldamar faced in the crafting of its third full-length album, “Astral Journeys Pt. 1: Creation”. Having built up a solid foundation based well within the shifting realms that Tolkien crafted and from which legions have taken inspiration from, it’s with this creation that Eldamar sought to explore a different landscape that turned as inwards as it does outward. Having always been magnificent at interweaving deep emotion with black metal that is just as majestic to behold in each instance new material comes around, this is clearly the start of a new chapter for Eldamar with this record standing as the first of a duology of records that is sure to only further the truth that Eldamar is a name that demands to be held in the highest regard in atmospheric black metal. Six tracks that are simply gorgeous, Eldamar takes us to far-off realms and planes not stained by the defilement of self-rightous life, but, rather, a place where life itself is in its infancy. Innocent and terrifyingly capable of anything, the first part of “Astral Journeys” sees Eldamar return supremely triumphant.

I can only hope that it’s not another seven years before we hear from Eldamar again, but if the follow-up is to be even close to what’s been put forth in this work then I feel it’s safe to say we should be more than patient in such a wait. A sprawling effort that takes the majesty of the ether itself and transmutes it all into the most undeniable form of auditory glory, “Astral Journeys Pt.1: Creation” is the return of Eldamar we had hoped for.

“Astral Journeys Pt. 1: Creation” releases on September 6th via Northern Silence Productions!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Astral Journeys Pt. 1: Creation” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Eldamar on Facebook here.