Capturing one's attention in long-form music can often be an arduous task. There are many bands, in black metal in particular, who are able to do this very well. Names like Ash Borer, Fell Voices, and Paysage D'Hiver often come up. Yet, even these names don't quite reach a level that the US duo of Stellar Descent does. Northern California's A. has spent years crafting, as the band describes it, "verdant, long-form, ambient black metal from distant ends of the planet." Over the years, Stellar Descent's song-lengths continued to push well beyond the half hour or hour mark. Each full-length record since the project's inception has well-eclipsed these markers. Their newest album, The Future Is Dark, follows suit.
Now sporting bassist and backing vocalist, J., from Chicago (he was also on the band's latest, sensational split with Aylwin), the duo crafts an immaculate and introspective 45-minute arrangement that seems to fly by in the blink of an eye. When something as temporally daunting as this track can seem to go by so effortlessly it truly speaks to an understanding or mastery of craft.
While the entire track isn't available until September 27th, Metal Injection has a six-minute excerpt available now to stream. In it are mesmerizing drum patterns and dreamy guitar chords that are met with the searing howls of both vocalists. Tempo ebbs and flows slightly as it shifts between ambient passages and blistering black metal.
Pre-order a digital copy from Stellar Descent's Bandcamp page now. Physical versions are available at Sol y Nieve. Listen to another excerpt from the album from No Clean Singing.
