Album Review: Crom Dubh – Firebrands and Ashes (Ván Records)

Crom Dubh were formed in London 2003 and released two demos before the atmospheric second-wave black metal EP “Deifr” in 2010, which channelled ancient myth and legend into a meditation on the rise and fall of civilisations.

The band’s debut LP, “Heimweh” came in 2015 and developed the themes established on “Deifr” by focusing on the life-cycle of the individual. “Firebrands and Ashes”, Crom Dubh’s second full-length for Ván Records, chronicles the horrors of a world teetering on the brink of self-immolation, and the bloody chain of events that brought us to this point.

It will be released on June 14th 2019.

The name of this band alone conjures up images of deep and brooding heaviness so its no real surprise that is exactly what we get. Bleak black metal with a touch of doom dished out in a wonderfully clean way. Those used to a rougher black metal kind of production will find themselves pleasantly surprised by this record. It’s wonderfully clean and much more listenable because of that.

Cold as ice, hot as hell…Crom Dubh offer seven tracks on ritualistic ends of the scale of black metal but do both equally brilliantly. The rhythmic horror of Firebrands and Ashes, the mind-numbing bleakness of Ram in a Thicket and the thrilling darkness that consumes from Astride the Grave. A consistently high level of ringing black metal riffs, crunchy drums and screeching vocals ensures that by time Endless Night comes along, this won’t be a forgotten album of 2019.

Crom Dubh Full Track Listing:

1. Boreal
2. Firebrands and Ashes
3. Last Dust
4. Ram in a Thicket
5. Burning
6. Astride the Grave
7. Endless Night

Links

Label Store | Crom Dubh Website | Facebook