Hands down, there are few sounds as iconic and constant when crossing genres in all of metal/ as that of death-doom. An absolutely versatile creation that can come in so many different forms without compromising the artistic vision whatever their vision might be, you can reside in the wide reaching realm of death-doom and find yourself before a wide variety of different sounds, approaches, and aesthetic across just five bands. A more classic rendition of death-doom is not an uncommon sight, but it still takes the immensely talented and tenacious to bring it all to life. With their debut album, Umbersun taps into undeniable mastery.

When dealing with a sound like death-doom in this particular vein, all too often do we see names come forward that are able to deliver a performance that doesn’t just deal properly with the elements at hand with the end-result a stale imitation even if it’s based in admirable reverence of what’s come before. Only on occasion do we get a band that keeps things fluid, interesting, and their own. While more recent names like Invernoir come to mind, Umbersun now absolutely deserves to be brought up in that conversation. Across seven tracks with nearly each of them longer than the last, it’s throughout a 61-minute run that Umbersun is simply exquisite in every form to deliver a performance that is constantly flowing, never once treading the same space twice to show off just how adept Umbersun already is at such a particular craft. They pull right from the glory days of what we all know death-doom to be of, but it’s through their own machinations and nuanced songwriting that “Endless Winter Nights” takes on a life of its own and really embodies what it means to be at one with your sound. Intrinsic from top to bottom and simply intoxicating to experience as the blizzard only thickens the deeper into the album you go. When there is naught left but the solace of the night in a snow storm, that’s where the raw majesty of “Endless White Nights” comes into frame.

A devastating performance from beginning to end that wraps you wholly in a dense shroud of raw passion, this is a debut the likes of which are talked about in close circles, and I can only hope that those circles won’t stay closed for long so the name of Umbersun can properly flourish. For all that’s brought forth in these seven tracks, “Endless Winter Nights” has a lot to offer for any willing to get lost in an eternal white night.

LISTEN to “Endless Winter Nights” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Umbersun on Facebook here.