This is the second album from Polish one-man post-black metal band Ennoven.
This is the follow up to 2014’s Redemption, which was a very enjoyable debut record. Empty Passes, Silent Trails, however, is on another level entirely. It contains only four tracks, but lasts 47 minutes, and spans a world of emotion and mood.
The style of the music you’ll find on Empty Passes, Silent Trails can be loosely termed post-black metal, but this doesn’t really do it justice. Throw in blackgaze, ambient, atmospheric black metal, and post-rock elements, and you’re a bit closer to the truth of it, and you’ve also got yourself a very engaging and immersive record too.
Empty Passes, Silent Trails demonstrates that the artist behind Ennoven has developed his skills nicely since we last encountered him. The songs show a strength of composition that speaks of care and attention to detail, as well as a firm understanding of the bigger atmospheric vistas that the music is painting.
The pure black metal components are less-blatant his time, and are instead used as the foundations of a post-blackened sound that’s mood-based and very potent. Across three large songs, (and one smaller one), the music reveals itself to be expansive and emotive, with a warm, welcoming sound. The music that draws the listener in and holds them close, while showing them the inspiring sights of the bountiful landscape that the artist has ably crafted.
Soft, ethereal cleans work with the music to produce soundscapes of feeling. Rich, yet understated violins seem to fade in and out of the speakers as you absorb the captivating spectacle that the artist has wrought. Resplendent levels of ambient and post-metal depths of emotion are everywhere, swamping you with texture. It’s hard not to be moved by music like this, and this is the perfect sort of album to lose yourself in.
This is a beautiful record. The evolution from the first album, (which in its own right was pretty damn good), is shocking. also, I’ve just belatedly discovered that the artist behind Ennoven is also in the amazing Rosk, which will hopefully help further recommend Empty Passes, Silent Trails to you.
Essential listening for any fan of emotive, compelling atmosphere-based music.
Wonderbox Metal 