Moonlight Sorcery – Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle
Release Date: 29th September 2023
Label: Avantgarde Music
Bandcamp
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
FFO: Ninkharsag, Stormkeep, Wormwitch.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
If you’ve been looking for something new in the black metal scene, you’re in luck. Finnish symphonic black metal trio, Moonlight Sorcery release their first full-length album, Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle, on September 29 via Avantgarde Music.
Following on the heels of their 2022 EP, Piercing Through the Frozen Eternity, and their early 2023 EP, Nightwind: The Conqueror from the Stars, Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle is an amalgam of the best of both. There’s plenty of spooky ambiance and no shortage of melody, plus it preserves that raw edge that tends to define the black metal sound from the 1990s, regardless of changes in modern production. The album features primary composer, Loitsumestari Taikakallo on lead guitar and keyboards, Haaska on rhythm guitar, and Ruttomieli as the vocalist and main lyricist.
The first track, To Withhold the Day, immediately bursts into action and does not let up the entire time. As far as I’m concerned, the faster the better, and they did not disappoint. The leads are speedy and nimble, and that rhythm just keeps coming at you like a bullet train at top speed. The solos were rather unexpected but they’re extremely well done, very classic metal, and they work well in this context. The symphonic elements add another layer of texture to this composition that plays nicely off the underlying fury. The dynamics of this track are exciting and honestly, they’re fun. There’s a kind of power metal vibe here that I didn’t expect going in, but here we are, and I’m all about it. The shrieking vocals are definitely on the black metal end of the spectrum, but they’re a perfect fit. This was one heck of an opener, and it got me hyped for the rest of the album.
There’s an ominous symphonic intro to In Coldest Embrace that quickly descends into a frenzied rhythm and a wild ride to who knows where. I feel like there’s a bit of a melodeath sort of turn here, a Kalmah-ish otherworldly ambiance that suits me down to the ground. There is also some serious shredding happening. Loitsumestari Taikakallo is killing with these solos. Never mind the ridiculously animated leads through the rest of the piece. The dynamics are quite frankly incredible. The rhythm supporting all of this wizardry is just as impressive because it’s driving this track like nothing on Earth, but it’s still giving Taikakallo plenty of room to work. The vocals from Ruttomieli are spot on again, providing the knife’s edge that keeps the track on the sinister side. And that dissonant ending is a slap in the face with an icy, wet glove, and it’s brilliant.
The Secret of Streaming Blood brings the blackness, and the epicness came, too. Picture Wintersun but blacker…That bleak, black metal chord progression that we know and love is woven throughout the track, but it’s tempered by these insanely hooky leads. Periodically the tempo drops for an interesting little instrumental break, but then it picks up that breakneck speed again. The symphonic elements dance along in the background, and that synth and guitar doubling is perfection. I particularly enjoy the vocals on this track. They’re nice and evil. Oxymoron, yes, but I stand by my statement.
This is followed by Yönsilmä, with its gorgeous, almost classical, clean guitar intro, but around 1:11, it’s clear we’ve taken a wrong turn in the bad part of the forest. It’s as melodic as ever with the leads and synth sharing the spotlight, but it still has that sharpness. There’s also a melancholy feel to the chord progression, despite the speed and the powerful dynamics.
Vihan verhon takaa is another lively, melodic piece with dramatic dynamics and a hectic pace that leaves your brain trying to keep up with your ears. I’m definitely feeling some Kalmah undertones in the moving leads, circa 12 Gauge, but faster. The synth in the background brings some additional color to the track, giving us a bit more light to balance out the darker tones of Haaska’s rhythm and Ruttomieli’s harsh vocals.
The Moonlit Dance of the Twisted Jester’s Blood-soaked Rituals is a manic, instrumental track rooted in classic power metal, but with the disturbing atmosphere you expect from black metal. That creepy laugh in the background is as off-putting as it is evocative, and you can easily picture some bloody (literally) nightmare of a court jester cavorting under the full moon. Or maybe that’s just me and my overactive imagination…
There’s more of a traditional black metal feel to the intro of Fire Burns the Horizon, quickly superseded by more melodic phrasing, albeit just as brisk. The composition regularly returns to the tremolo-picking, blasting black metal interlude, which is an excellent foil to the power metal-imbued leads. The symphonic elements seem to be used a bit more sparingly here, which actually serves to draw more attention to their flawless placement. The spoken word passage is delightfully terrifying, and the enunciation of “…neverending death…” feels like cold water poured down the back of your neck. Or like the Horned Lord is looking over your shoulder.
Into the Silvery Shadows of Night is the perfect title for the penultimate track. The echoing guitar intro sets the mood and ushers in a slower tempo through the verse than anything we’ve seen previously. Ruttomieli’s haunting vocals are suggestive of the wind through the trees and foggy breath on the cold, night air. The mournful chord changes herald a faster pace, and the chugging rhythm underneath builds to an unstoppable force that never allows the piece to drag. The spoken word passages are fantastically spooky, and you know me, of course, I got goosebumps. The solos are, once again, magnificent, and the guitar outro morphing into the early 1980s Depeche Mode synth is just infernal.
The final track, Suden tie (Wolven Hour part II), is as bracing as a windy January morning. The speed coming right out of the gate is glorious, and the unrelenting blast beats in the verses are as black as my heart. The leads are racing against the rhythm and the synth to see who gets to the end first, and your blood is pumping no less quickly. There are so many dramatic tempo changes, chord changes, and rhythm changes that the song is over before you realize it’s been going on for over eight minutes. Ruttomieli shows his range in this piece, delivering hideous howls, spine-tingling shrieks, and gravelly growls with equal aplomb. The end is an abrupt slamming on of the brakes, which not only leaves you wondering where the truck is that hit you, but it also leaves you sad that there isn’t more. If The Wild Hunt had a theme song, this would be it.
So, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know much about Moonlight Sorcery going in. I purposefully did not do a lot of research until I listened to the music the first time. I don’t like to color my first impressions with too much information. To be honest, I heard “symphonic black metal” and I was in. That this beautiful beast of the icy north is touched by the glory that is power metal is the icing on the cake, and I love cake. Don’t get me wrong, there are no cleans on Horned Lord of the Thorned Castle. While there are some otherworldly elements in the narrative, there’s none of the over-the-top fantastical Dungeons & Dragons-type imagery. It’s not overt, but those of us who are fans of the genre are going to pick up on the old-school power gifted to us by bands like Helloween. The black metal purists among us are liable to be a teensy bit spicy, but if you enjoy a bit of convention-flouting in your blackened genres, you’re about to be a really happy camper.
(5 / 5)
