It ought to go without saying that black metal set in the endless expanse of space is something that has gained real traction in the past decade. Where it was maybe a few bands here and there throughout the underground that began to tap into what such a theme could do for the genre, I think it’s almost certainly after the arrival of Mesarthim that we began to see bands coming out of the woodwork relatively consistently to expand that part of the underground into the splendorous sight that it is today. Every now and then, we’re given a performance that really pushes what the sound can still be in the hands of the talented and ambitious. Within their sprawling third album, Labyrinthus Stellarum delivered excellence and far more.

A band like this really stands out purely because of the fact that their rise is simply undeniable alongside a surprisingly active release schedule that has now witnessed three full-length albums in the span of just barely over two years. Of course, such a thing does not automatically equal success, but it’s in the realization that Labyrinthus Stellarum has become all the better as time has gone on that your eyes open to the sheer magnitude of what we’re dealing with here. A dazzling creation that never sits in a single place for long with its strong electronic element always pushing this atmospheric brand of black metal far and above virtually all of the competition in the underground, it’s through a relatively simple but deadly effective formula that “Rift in Reality” quickly takes on a life of its own and impresses at every given turn. Reliant on much more than riffs and a handful of melodies here or there, it’s through every single of these eight sensational tracks that Labyrinthus Stellarum more than lives up to its quickly growing reputation to cement itself as not just a rising act, but one that embodies the very soul of what this corner of black metal is from top to bottom. Through tremendous intensity, nuance, and a sense of aural color that black metal doesn’t receive often enough, “Rift in Reality” is a beast all of its own. It’s a supremely intoxicating effort that holds nothing back, offers no mercy, and enthralls the listener at every possible turn, but it’s in doing so that Labyrinthus Stellarum has a magnificent sense of beauty and majesty that is woven gorgeously into damn near every given aspect of this viciously captivating performance.

I have already seen quite a few people go out of their way to claim that what’s been accomplished here is worthy of being deemed as one of the year’s very best releases, and I am tempted to agree with them. What’s pulled off throughout this piece is singularly intoxicating for all that it is and all that it dares to be with the very concept of cosmic black metal given extreme justice in every given moment of “Rift in Reality” the likes of which it’s not likely to see done by anyone else any time soon. For all that Labyrinthus Stellarum accomplishes, it demands to be made clear that this almost definitely one of the finest releases that black metal is going to get when 2025 comes to a close with the future of this act as bright as a supernova with the scope and magnitude to match.

LISTEN to “Rift in Reality” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Labyrinthus Stellarum on Facebook here.

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