Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for Narbeleth - A Pale Crown (2024)

Lured into a 2024 release by the impressive On the Sight of Dusk on this month's The North playlst, I have spent a week or so with A Pale Crown playing at least once a day.  Strong with Satyricon vibes and grimly resplendent in the stronger Judas Iscariot and Taake sound also, Narbeleth draw on solid influences from more than one corner of the black metal universe.  Originating from a country with no established scene (go on tell me there's a big black metal underground scene in Cuba), this duo have clearly allowed their isolation to nurture their reflections on the very foundations of the genre itself and their clearly well-practised artform is about as authentic as it gets as a result.

I find this album to carry a very organic style to it.  Nothing here sounds forced; to the point, in fact, where it all sounds like it just comes so darn naturally to Dakkar and Vindok.  At six albums in to their career, you could argue that they fucking well should know what they are doing by now.  Fact is, they create this rich and luscious tapestry without sounding like they are even breaking sweat in doing so.  Far from being just a melodic bm album, this record is an album that knows how to embrace melody without doing so at the expense of darkness.  Harnessing a maturity in their songwriting, Narbeleth add depth without looking to experimental techniques or sound.  Instead they present variety to pace and tempo perfectly and I think this makes the album sound more melodic than it actually is.

Acoustics just seep into tracks, their strings sounding huge and almost comforting.  Riffs dance and jaunt through tracks supported by some very simplistic, yet incredibly effective drums.  This feels like a very controlled and measured performance by a band very much in tune with the history of the genre at large.  It sits in a space somewhere above pure worship but stands clear in its lack of intention to uproot any boundaries either.  Any fan of black metal can appreciate what Narbeleth have done here.  More please.