Whereas the great vast majority of bands out in the underground sort of just go for whatever they can usually get their hands on, there are few things that can compare to a band with real focus in order to bring about their own form of art. In the world of metal, that can take many forms despite how rare such a sight might be for those of us that spend a lot of our time in those depths. It’s not terribly often, however, that we see a band knowing when it’s going to end. In the case of Novarupta, long has the end been in sight with the path forward something to behold in every form.

While it is oftentimes a sad scene to watch a band come to an end for one reason or another, there can be a sense of certainty and purpose knowing precisely what you’re going to call it a day and put out your final piece of material. Having such a vision can offer even further clarity when it comes to exactly how you want to bring about your art. In no small way, Novarupta is more than the perfect embodiment of all that as it’s since the name’s first work five years ago that the release of “Astral Sands” has been in sight. The end of an elemental tetralogy, it’s throughout the whole of this nine-track album that Novarupta taps into something on a higher level altogether to make this final album an exceedingly high note to leave us on. Each song it’s own experience thanks to a different vocalist in every example, “Astral Sands” quickly takes on a life of its own as Novarupta uses all of its experience accrued over its previous three releases to lift up the listener to a special realm that metal oftentimes tries to achieve even if it’s not often by any means whatsoever to actually see it done successfully. If nothing else, Novarupta has always been an oddity. An act that plants its feet into the earth to show us what they can do and do it in such a way that stands out from the crowd, “Astral Sands” is the embodiment of all that Novarupta can be to making this a truly fitting send-off for a name that has earned more than enough respect in its time.

It is truly sad to see this act go, but nothing is beautiful because it lasts forever. The finality of it all quickly allows Novarupta to tap into something primal and captivating with “Astral Sands” to ensure that the album  and its predecessors are cemented as underground gems waiting for any underground purveyor to uncover and become lost within. While the talent behind this act is sure to find success in other forms, the force of Novarupta is something to be memorialized.

“Astral Sands” releases on February 14th via Suicide Records!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Astral Sands” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Novarupta on Facebook here.