12th October 2024

Review: “Embers of Reverie” by Oakenthrone

The work of multi instrumentalist and vocalist Simon Nagington, who you maybe familiar with for his work in Crown of Ichor and Acral Necrosis, one man Doom laden Black Metal project Oakenthrone has existed in the dark corners of the mind since 2022. After releasing a pair of demos in “Blood Moon” and “Rune Lord” in the past couple of years, the vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drum programmer considers EP “Embers of Reverie” the true starting point of his journey, where the experimentation ends as the true picture reveals itself…

Rich and dark with a real sonic depth and texture, “Embers of Reverie” manages to be both grim and grandiose in equal measure, a dance macabre in of mournful atmospherics accompanied by caustic vocal venom that will leave you breathless. The lead guitars are stunning, elevating the sound away from the realms of the material that came before it, while the drum machine gives the feel of a demo while having none of the raw edges you’d expect from one. Instead the overall sound is polished like a poison chalice fit for a King, the epic majesty of the soundscape written in blood and yet all the more beautiful for it. By no means second best “Communion” preserves the quality with savage vocals buried a little bit deeper into the music, giving the impression of a call from the void in the middle distance. Sonically, the guitars offer a haunting melody that is all consuming, bringing to mind recent works by Sonus Mortis, Hell Is Other People or even Harakiri For The Sky. Even the obligatory blast beats are well considered, giving the cut a little more poise and purpose while helping to escape the trappings of the morbid and miserable. At just over 17 minutes this one isn’t going to trouble you but it is worth every second because the quality of these songs is remarkable and makes them feel like a precursor to something so much bigger [8/10]

Track Listing