Auðn are an Icelandic black metal band and this is their third album.

Auðn play atmospheric black metal, and I like what I hear here very much. Theirs is a form of music that’s rooted in classical atmospheric blackness, but is not limited to the second wave by any means. This is a very contemporary release, despite its recognition of the genre’s foundations. Vökudraumsins Fangi succeeds in delivering blackened melodies and aggressive mood across 55 minutes of well-executed music.

If you mix together elements of bands such as Enslaved, Ihsahn, Misþyrming, and Winterfylleth, then you’ll have a rough idea of where Vökudraumsins Fangi is coming from.

The songs are very well-written, with good use of structure, pace, and dynamics. The band use light introspection and shaded character to great effect, wielding a variety of compositional tools to achieve their atmospheric ends. There is a decent amount of variation in the band’s approach to their art too, and I very much like that the songs are quite easily distinguishable from each other, with many standout moments readily available across the album. A few different non-black metal influences can be heard here and there too, from the realms of progressive, heavy, and post-metal, for example. There are some strong riffs here too.

The music’s aggressive tendencies are well-harnessed, and it sounds as if the power of several storms are being channelled into the sections that consist of furious blast beats. Auðn play with both a fiery aggression and a slower, more restrained blackened heaviness, combined with a more textured lightness that results in an engrossing immersive collection of songs.

Auðn deliver their chosen form of atmospheric worldbuilding with great skill and talent. Vökudraumsins Fangi is a multifaceted atmospheric black metal album that’s a joy to experience. This is an essential listen for any fan of modern blackened art.