By and large, there’s a lot that can be done within the vast realm of atmospheric black metal. While there are legions of names out there that are able to bring about a magnificent splendor within such a normally dark and cold style, there’s always room for more to take place even if there aren’t very many that have been willing to shake things up even a little bit to show us what can still be done in a sound that can oftentimes feel greatly oversaturated. It’s every now and then that we get a name that manages to deliver what few others can, and Sickle of Dust has become a name that can do that quite well. Even now with its fifth album, Sickle of Dust shows off a proficiency that makes the name stand out magnificently.

Long is the list of things that can set a single band apart from much of the competition in their scene whether it comes in the form of infusing different styles into your mix or trying something that feels fresh and interesting in some form or another. In the case of Sickle Dust, it’s always varied. The core ideals of this act have long been firmly within the realm of atmospheric black metal, that part is effortless to see, yet it is also clear that Sickle of Dust has never really been interested in making the same album twice. Each work has had some distinct flavor that sets it apart from its predecessor whether that be out of execution or the guests the album boasts, and that proves to be no different within “Across the Vultures Trail”. Pulling greatly from the more epic side of black metal, the five tracks of this record do not disappoint, nor do they leave anything on the table as it’s clear throughout every given minute of the record that Sickle of Dust fully plunged itself into a fantastical realm that does great service to the brand of black metal that the act has become synonymous with. It shows a different side to Sickle of Dust in a captivating and interesting way. Intertwining melodies across great expanses of battle-torn fields even in the small fleeting moments of rest one has before being thrown back into a bloody hell, “Across the Vultures Trail” offers us a side of Sickle of Dust that I never truly expected to see, and I cannot help but find myself pleasantly surprised by all that’s accomplished in these five tracks.

Never losing sight of its core ideals to make for a fresh path forward that should interest fans new and old alike with all that’s brought to the table, Sickle of Dust continues to be a name that knows precisely how to navigate its own corner of black metal with real finesse and flavor the likes of which this sound doesn’t bear witness to often enough. A different effort compared to predecessors but containing much of the same DNA, “Across the Vultures Trail” is sure to standout in this growing discography no matter what comes next.

LISTEN to “Across the Vultures Trail” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Sickle of Dust on Facebook here.