Title: Profaning the Ground
Artist: A Diadem of Dead Stars
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Year: 2015
Country: Greece
Label: Self-released
A Diadem of Dead Stars instantly caught my attention last year with the first album, “The Mist Bearer”. This one man project created by a musician who simply goes by the name “The Pilgrim” demonstrated the bands ability to play highly atmospheric, folk-laden black metal. The lack of vocals also set the project apart from the thousands of other black metal bands, relying on instrumentation alone to draw the listener in (I believe that vocals are just another instrument anyway, but the lack of vocals here really showcases the parallel between black metal and ambient).
I am pleased to say that with “Profaning the Ground”, The Pilgrim has taken his music one step further. While “The Mist Bearer” was centered around warm acoustics and folk elements, Profaning the Ground is a darker release with an even stronger atmosphere. From the opening track “Wall of Ashes and Dirt”, other influences that were not present on the previous release become clear; such as the heavy Drone influence in the guitar riffs. Combining Drone music with the band’s already ambient influenced style of black metal has resulted in a release with an overwhelming amount of atmosphere. The sorrowful synthesizers and distortion drenched riffs on Wall of Ashes and Dirt sounds like the slow breathing of the Earth itself, or the crashing of waves as the ocean begins to sleep. Such comparisons demonstrate just how massive the atmosphere can be on Profaning the Ground.
The use of clean guitars played in a repetitive Drone style on the title track again shows A Diadem of Dead Stars maturing musically. While the song structure is extremely basic and the music minimal, there is definitely a direction behind the music, with touches of creativity littered throughout the song. The average metal fan may become bored with the lack of vocals, blastbeats, and changes in structure; which is why A Diadem of Dead Stars is a band only for those who look for intense, deep atmospheres that require your energy and attention. The energy is well worth it, as this album will allow you to drift away into the dark landscapes of your imagination through heavy riffs and a great sense of repetition and ambience. At this rate, the band has experimented with several different styles between The Mist Bearer, the Unreleased 2014 Demo, and this EP; and has succeeded in making a great release each time. I can only imagine what A Diadem of Dead Stars will offer atmospheric black metal fans in the future.
