Way back in early 2020, Suldusk played the last show I attended before fun was canceled. I was introduced by the non-suspiciously departed Emya‘s excellent TYMHM piece on one-woman debut Lunar Falls. This sort of black metal-inflected atmospheric folk is incredibly My Thing, as you can tell from where Helga landed on my list last year. So Suldusk were a pretty important fixture for me, particularly in the tough early pandemic months. The whole thing has that slight air of unreality you get with memories from around then. Now they’re back—finally—with a full band and signed to Napalm, so the stakes are high for Anthesis (meaning flowering, or the time when a flower is open).
Fortunately, Anthesis is an apt name, with Suldusk successfully finding their feet as a full band. This sort of music is made or broken first in its ability to conjure atmosphere, and Anthesis is steeped in atmosphere. The acoustic guitar, violin, and cello work reminds me at times of the wonderful Nebelung (“Leven,” “Crowns of Esper,” “Sphaera”) and at others of Hexvessel. Both are favorites in the “lost in a misty forest” genre. At its best it’s genuinely beautiful; as I edited this sentence I got entirely distracted by the progression in “Crowns of Esper.” The second make-or-break point is not getting so lost in the woods that memorable songs fall by the wayside. Here, Emily Highfield’s vocals do a lot of the heavy lifting. From the BSG theme-esque intro to the almost campfire folk melody of “Mythical Creatures” to the unsettling cries of “Sphaera,” she offers many of the record’s best moments. Balancing these two factors isn’t easy and Anthesis manages admirably.
Many bands in this genre suffer a slightly awkward relationship between the acoustic folk and black metal elements (Myrkur, the aforementioned Helga). Suldusk doesn’t have this issue. The actual metal is used very sparingly—about half of the tracks feature fully metal passages, with only “Verdalet” dominated by this sound. Where it’s used it accentuates the songs very well, with a satisfying flow between elements. Unfortunately, the production hampers things a bit here, a common black metal complaint. When distorted guitars and blast beats hit I want it to thunder, but the production doesn’t offer enough room above the acoustic sections. This lack of contrast robs it of some of the impact. This issue hits “Verdalet” the hardest, and its placement as the first real track after the intro gets the album off to a slightly awkward start. Fortunately, it’s all smooth sailing from there.
I’ve mentioned “Sphaera” a couple of times already, but it’s an early Song o’ the Year frontrunner. The artful buildup reminds me of The Otolith, and every part of it from the piano to the spoken word sample to the vocals hits perfectly. Title track “Anthesis” nails the folk/black metal balance perfectly; “Mythical Creatures” is the catchiest song on the record. Finale “A Luminous End” brings together everything the album does well, and adds a solo by site cello bae Raphael Weinroth-Browne. As I allude to above, while it’s not a one-woman show anymore, Emily Highfield’s vocals are the most obvious draw here. Her versatility is notable, from the warm, sweet tone seen on “Mythical Creatures” to the cutting clean tone and black metal howls of tracks like “Anthesis.” The addition of Shane Mulholland’s pretty tenor on a couple of songs (e.g. “Leven”) adds further vocal variety. But the most impressive bit is how smoothly the voices flow among the instruments (“Sphaera” again). There are a lot of instruments to balance here, and the composition across the whole record is excellent.
My fear of reviewing bands that mean a lot to me is here assuaged; I love Anthesis. Beyond the production gripe, I have nothing to complain about. It delivers everything I want from an album like this: I can get lost in the atmosphere, hum the songs, and headbang. Suldusk have successfully grown as a band, both literally and figuratively. They do more than the debut without losing what I loved about that record. Anthesis is beautiful, thoughtful, and moving.
Rating: Great
DR: Less than I’d like | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Napalm Records
Websites: suldusk.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/Suldusk
Releases Worldwide: March 1st, 2024
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