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| #FOR FANS OF: Ambient Black |
It’s always great to be back in the Swedish scene and, in this particular case, to taste another effort of the always intriguing Scandinavian black metal scene. Skuggor is a solo project with no more than four or five years of existence, at least if we speak about physical releases. In any case, its sole member has been very active, not only with this project, but with several others, proving that his inspiration and passion for this music remain alive.
Skuggor plays a very personal type of atmospheric or ambient black metal whose conceptual connection with the vast nature of Sweden is essential. M wants to create a captivating journey where the listener will feel immersed in the northern forests where Skuggor has found its musical epiphany. As a consequence of this approach, Skuggor’s music is not particularly aggressive or fast-paced, as happens with black metal bands in general and, to a certain degree, also with some atmospheric black metal projects. This characteristic has been a constant in the project’s existence, and the new opus entitled 'The Expanse' is another fine example of it.
After the excellent previous album, 'The Expanse' will once again delight Skuggor’s fans. From the album opener, "The Expanse", the core elements of the Swedish project can be found. The compositions have a mid-tempo nature, where the hypnotic riffs and high-pitched screams find the appropriate balance between aggression and ambience. They are accompanied by atmospheric arrangements in the form of keyboards. As the album goes on, these keys sound better and better as they gain intensity and solemnity, among which I would like to highlight the majestic synthesizers of "The Fire" and "Hem". Pace-wise, Skuggor is not a remarkably varied project; the compositions are, as mentioned, mainly slow/mid-paced, although we can find very occasional faster sections, like in "The Fire" and "The Storm", even if these are rare. In any case, there is never a feeling of boredom or excessive uniformity in the structure of these compositions, as the aforementioned keyboards and solid guitar work succeed in creating songs that can capture the attention of the listener and maintain it until the very end of the track.
In conclusion, 'The Expanse' is undoubtedly another firm step in Skuggor’s career. Its mastermind perfectly knows the project’s strongest points, and he successfully delves deeper into them, creating six pieces that take the listener on a sonic journey into the vastness of northern forests. (Alain González Artola)
(Nordvis Produktion - 2026)
Score: 80