Thirty years is a long time by all accounts. When it comes to music, thirty years can feel like many different lifetimes, but there are bands that manage to transcend that time and take us back to a time that we now glorify for all sorts of different reasons. The old school is something that we’re constantly holding in high reverence for what it threw down to provide great inspiration for the modern landscape of the underground. Every now and then, we get a name that returns to us after dwelling in the shadows in dormancy or patient stasis, waiting to continue its offensives. Ten years since its last offering and over thirty since its first demo, it’s now with its first full-length album that Nordlys expertly channels what few can ever hope to ascertain.

For everything that the old school of black metal can still manage to bring to the table, it’s almost meaningless if it’s not put in the hands of those that are able to utilize its teachings and tendencies in such a form that sees the sound given proper representation and justice, if not growth. The old school is something that many venerate and many try to perpetuate through replication, yet it’s only a select few that can succeed along that arduous path. It was in the trenches of the old school itself that Nordlys was formed, and time marched brutally onwards as the act went through several name changes and a sparse release schedule, but it’s through perseverance that “Lichterglanz Finsternis” has finally been crafted for all that it is: a testament of black metal that’s as scathing as it is mesmerizing. Along every step of the way, the night sky itself plays a pivotal role in bringing to life what Nordlys channels here as this is undeniably black metal of an ancient sort that is never once lacking in its modern elements be it fantastic riffage or masterful use of atmosphere in prime moments to demonstrate how knowledgeable Nordlys is with their craft. This black metal that doesn’t seek lofty goals, but, rather, to embody what the genre has long become associated with. We’ve seen legions come and go in vain efforts to bring the style real glory, but it’s rare acts like Nordlys putting out even rarer works like “Lichterglanz Finsternis” that are where success is to be found.

Simplistic but clear in its vision and compelling in its execution, Nordlys taps into a vast well of darkness of a sort that few are ever able to truly channel. Right from the beginning, it’s clear that this is black metal which holds nothing back and makes damn sure to preserve the old school for much of what it stood for. Not seeking to redefine the sound but encapsulate much of what many might consider lost, Nordlys stands defiant before time itself with the arrival of “Lichterglanz Finsternis”.

“Lichterglanz Finsternis” releases on February 27th via Solistitium Records!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Lichterglanz Finsternis” on Bandcamp here or via YouTube below.

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