In the grand scheme of things, black metal still has so much to offer. Even if it means retreading well worn ground more so than it already has, there’s still more than enough glory, intrigue, and dark splendor to be had for those that are able to bring it about in such a form that feels captivating and engaging. Given the state of the scene as a whole, it’s only a matter of time before we come upon a name that is able to do good things where others can only hope to succeed. With its latest EP, Schattenfall delivers in only excellence.

Having made a name for itself with its own brand of Ukrainian black metal that emulates many of its contemporaries while always making damn sure to stand out from the crowd in more than one way, Schattenfall has become a name that demands respect many times over for what it has accomplished in less than ten years of a black offensive. It was just last year that we saw Schattenfall deliver “Death’s Eternal March” and do much within its seven tracks, yet it’s with three more within this new offering, “Oh Wind, mein Bruder” that I cannot help but feel as though Schattenfall taps into something special. In less than twenty minutes, this EP puts out a display of black metal with more than enough of an atmospheric aspect with plenty of melody woven into the mix to really tap into much of what black metal can be when it’s given enough time to bake and really come into its own. It’s a brief excursion yet it does more than enough to deliver on all the potential that one could ask for from an act that has not only proven to be capable of throwing down wondrous intensity time after time but know how to improve upon itself years down the line. A real spectacle for what black metal can still be in the right hands, every moment of “Oh Wind, mein Bruder” is what it means to hit all the right notes and capitalize on each opportunity to the maximum.

This is the kind of creation that stand out in a band’s discography and offer real insight into what a band is capable of for all that they can be. In no small form, Schattenfall should be immensely proud of what it has crafted within the cold mountains of “Oh Wind, mein Bruder” with it being virtually every given aspect that shows us what damn good black metal can still be when its put in the hands of the focused and talented.

LISTEN to “Oh Wind, mein Bruder” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Schattenfall on Facebook here.