Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for Labyrinthus Stellarum - Vortex of the Worlds (2024)

I was already across this release as we headed into November and so seeing it added to the feature roster lined it up nicely for review.  As those folky rich melodies sent my brain into a near trace-like state, I did start to question my credentials as a nail coated wristband wearing black metal fan.  But then I remembered my enjoyment of Mare Cognitum and Darkspace and convinced myself that my icy soul was no nearer to being thawed as I first feared.  The inclusion of such a heavy amount of synths is perhaps the most challenging part of Vortex of the Worlds yet at the same time it would not work as well as an album without them.  They do sound incredibly artificial and are without doubt the main culprit in steering the album away from the more extreme boundaries of black metal, but I find at the same time they are relatively easy to make peace with given their obvious contribution to such a rich and luscious soundscape.

When taken out of consideration for a moment, the synths are far from the only positive element of the instrumentation.  The tremolo riffing is excellent (Transcendence) both in isolation and also in accompaniment to everything else. When paired with vocals, they ground the album in the more familiar and safe territory of atmo-black. The programmed drums do not go unnoticed, but are hardly a problem either as I do not believe that Labyrinthus Stellarum wrote Vortex of the Worlds with any desire to focus on percussion. The lack of bass is the only real issue I have as it does makes things sound unnecessarily sterile and gives those synths an almost smothering edge at times.  There is a rumbling "something" in the background but I would suggest it is just the intentional density added in the production to mask the lack of bass.

My instinct suggests that Labyrinthus Stellarum will move too far away from a core black metal sound in subsequent releases to this one.  For now, Vortex of the Worlds is a sensible gateway into that vortex that I sense will soon lose some of its appeal in the coming records.  I am more than happy to celebrate the successes of this record though and acknowledge its bravery in sticking to its ideals and values.  It retains a unique edge without dropping into a Summoning level of repetition and genuinely has some exciting and intense moments that standout.  The songwriting suggests that particular methodology is sound enough as the crescendos mid-track are effective and create some of the strongest moments in the record.  The album has grown on me with repeated listens but I can sense that looming distance is coming still.