This is the fourth album from US solo black metal band Lamp of Murmuur.
The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is the follow up to 2023’s well-received Saturnian Bloodstorm. The latter was a record that only improved over time, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing songs from it, (and other releases), performed live when I saw Lamp of Murmuur at 2024’s Fortress Festival. All of this is to say, I’ve been looking forward to this new record.
So, given that the artist behind Lamp of Murmuur frequently does something a little different with each release, what do the 53 minutes of material on The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy have in store for us?
Quite a lot, as it turns out, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy travels to a few different places across its duration, and what a journey it is. The well-written songs betray a deep understanding of the original source material it aspires to, while still retaining a character of its own. The artist already proven his track record of being able to craft relevant interpretations of ancient styles, and The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy simply reinforces this. It’s full of neat little touches and good ideas, whether it’s a killer riff, a shining melody, or an unexpected clean vocal performance.
Compared to Saturnian Bloodstorm, these new songs further embed the symphonic black metal aspect of the music, but also expand the scope of the songs wider. As an overly simple description of this new record – it embraces the second wave black metal of bands like Emperor, Immortal, Old Man’s Child, and Satyricon, while also carrying a Gothic atmosphere, (think elements of Paradise Lost and Sisters of Mercy in places), and a love of classic heavy metal. Taken together, it means that The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy absolutely reeks of old-school black metal darkness, but is not restricted to just this. There’s even a progressive edge that makes its presence felt on occasion. It achieves all of this while still boasting a contemporary feel from its impassioned delivery and modern execution. And do you know what? It’s bloody good.
This is a genuinely an extremely enjoyable listen. The icy riffs, symphonic keyboards, and cutthroat screams all conspire to create something greater than the sum of its parts. In some ways it’s an old formula, and should by rights sound stale and uninteresting. But it doesn’t. Against the odds, the artist behind Lamp of Murmuur once again demonstrates a knack for unleashing black metal that’s simply extremely good. More than this though, it also consolidates the band’s style, effectively incorporating the sort of influences the artist has previously explored on a record such as 2021’s Submission and Slavery. The end result is an album that’s varied, engaging, and rewarding.
The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy offers up a very satisfying, enjoyable, and memorable listening experience, and it would be churlish to refuse it.
Essential listening for lovers of classic black metal.
Wonderbox Metal 