Fellwarden are a black metal band from the UK, and this is their second album.
Brought to us by members of Fen, Wreathed in Mourncloud delivers 59 minutes of atmospheric black metal with a folk edge.
Textured with folk and nature-inspired nuance, Wreathed in Mourncloud is an emotive album filled with atmosphere and epic mood. Across its playing time the album takes the listener on a journey, ably creating vast vistas of windswept soundscapes ripe for exploration.
The layered compositions are easy to become lost in. Expressive synths and understated melodies enhance the blackened auras that the songs build with ease. Delivered with cinematic scope and an eye for detail, the band’s take on atmospheric black metal is one that prioritises the atmospheric part of the formula, without neglecting the black metal core.
There’s a warmness to this music that’s uplifting. The songs manage to almost replicate the feeling you can get from being immersed in the natural world, providing escapism and a release from the woes of everyday life. This speaks to the obvious care and attention that has gone into these songs, and how well-crafted they are. Feeling and atmosphere is paramount here, and this is an album resplendent in both.
The vocals are diverse and well-performed, with a range of cleans and screams all used. Like everything here, they’re judged just right.
Wreathed in Mourncloud is an exceptional album. The first time I listened to it was during a thunderstorm, and it couldn’t have been a better-timed introduction to the band’s music.
This is a release that any atmospheric black metal fan should take the time to explore.
