Album Review: Wraithfyre - Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms

 Album Review

Artist: Wraithfyre 

Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms

Release Date: July 26, 2024

Score: 9/10 

Review by Rick Eaglestone

Southampton's Wraithfyre unleash a swirling cascade of symphonic black metal for their debut studio album Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms

The album starts off with a great Dungeon Synth heartbeat in the form of A Lunar Descent but encased amongst that is an atmospheric complexity that really serves as a great introduction for this newly crafted one-man project before eerie keyboards and grim tremolo riffs manifest into Falling Before Their Blazing Altar which also has a wonderful emotive midsection.

Up next is Queen of the Blighted Throne which not only has a hypnotic wave of the past but has a great narrative style encased within its structure, this is complimented wonderfully with Infernal Heresy which has some fabulous guitar parts - this is hands down my favourite section of the release.

Taking a slightly slower approach is Ablaze in Abyssal Frosts allows the musicianship to really be showcased there of course is an element of ferocity but it blends in the background like a lingering fog, the Yngwie Malmsteen style solos are also a nice addition adding another dynamic.

The album then thunders into Echoes of a Forgotten Dream which blends in so well it feels like an extension of the previous offering, this is then followed up with the penultimate atmospheric-laden Eternal Pyres From Beyond the Void 

Closing with Dark Souls Devoured causes absolute raptures as it perfectly encapsulates the artistry and aesthetic which already has me looking forward to future releases as I reach over and hit repeat.

Well-structured incantations with an icy blast 

Of Fell Peaks and Haunted Chasms is out this Friday via Naturmacht Productions