![]() I don’t think that the band shouldn’t attempt extended tracks in the future, nor do I think they should eschew their synth-only sections the droning, ten minute epilogue of “Through Forest and Fog,” for instance, is legitimately captivating. Greater success is found with the second track, “Sorrow Under Starry Sky.” Here, Ringarë smartly sandwiches the meat of the track between a simple, symphonic wind-up and cool-down, lending the song the kind of concrete structure missing from the rest of the record. While pretty, these sections feel bloated and tacked-on. The first and last tracks, ten and twenty minutes long, respectively, feature extended, synth-only epilogues. Nothing is perfect, of course, and Ringarë’s particular weakness is that they sometimes don’t know when to quit. Atmosphere is Under Pale Moon’s priority, sure, but it has more going for it than passive ambiance. The melodic flexibility, coupled with frequent rhythmic change-ups on drums, makes for a more engaging listen than one might reasonably expect. The compositions maintain the crystalline synths that defined their forebears’ symphonic trappings, yet the nostalgic, Deafheaven-esque guitar melodies of the title track, as well as the frozen melancholy reminiscent of early Coldworld in “Through Forest and Fog,” reveal a more versatile aesthetic. Considering the band’s second wave mindset, I find this melodic approach to be particularly intriguing. Ringarë’s long-gestating debut, consisting of four tracks, values otherworldly beauty over scathing dissonance. This marriage of 20th century songcraft with a 21st century melodic mindset, while hardly revolutionary, makes for a frequently spellbinding record in Under Pale Moon. Ringarë certainly falls within this realm, but with a twist: they build off the foundation of old school symphonic black metal, the sort pioneered by Limbonic Art and early Dimmu Borgir. In the genre’s most atmospheric forms, however, the ambient-like stream of muffled tremolo riffs and blast beats can be utterly calming. Not all black metal, of course-trying to take a Sunday siesta with Imperialist blaring would be an impossible task. ![]() This may be unthinkable for those who comment on every single black metal review about how they can’t get into the genre, but for me, black metal can be one of the most relaxing styles of music.
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