Did you think we were done with new releases? That we were just going to remember the highs and lows of this year? Well, let me surprise you with some Black Metal from the cave. I’m talking about Monte Penumbra’s Austere Dawning, an album that, while it feels Icelandic in many ways, continues to establish tiny (but mighty) Portugal as one of the powerhouses in this niche sub-genre. We’ve had an exhausting week when it comes to tremolo picking, so how can this release top that? Let’s find out.
Well, Austere Dawning is a tremolo OCD paradise. There’s almost no moment on this album where the guitars aren’t being battered like a cheese grater. Yet, there’s a dense and claustrophobic atmosphere that captures the classic existential despair this specific flavor of Black Metal brings to the table. If anything, Monte Penumbra takes away the best/worst part of Atmospheric Black Metal: the sometimes absurd amount of build-up these albums tend to embrace. Don’t get me wrong—it can be effective, but when done poorly, it’s like watching paint dry, except the paint is pitch black. Here, you can expect malevolent vibes but with more aggression.
Rarely does one find drumming this furious, even in Black Metal. This whole album feels oppressive and mean. Yes, mean—like the way the cashier looks at you when you pay with too much cash (I don’t even use cash anymore!). In this pit of darkness and horror, it’s sometimes difficult to tell what’s going on, but that’s where the track-editing helps. Most stay close to the four-minute mark, so there’s not too much information to decipher. If you’re into deciphering Metal like yours truly, you’ll appreciate this; otherwise, you’ll get all the violence you need without overthinking.
That doesn’t mean I have no quarrels with Austere Dawning. The album has basically one speed and one mode. The rest is nonsense for people with feelings. It can become a bit numbing to endure that much tremolo picking for the tenth time in a row, even if it hits all the right places. There’s only so much sugar you can have before you need an ambulance to revive you from the overdose you just gave yourself. Does this mean Austere Dawning has too much of a good thing? Good question—I have no idea. For some of you, more is more, but for me, there needs to be restraint within the bloodbath.
Either way, if you’re a fan of this cold, inhumane, and cavernous sound, don’t leave 2024 without giving Monte Penumbra a chance. It dives into familiar places, but given how tight and to the point it is, I believe it’s a wild trip to the abyss. The kind you take to feel cool and edgy from the comfort of your room while sipping hot chocolate in your Darkthrone shirt. Don’t deny it—you do this! Shirt or no shirt.
Label: NoEvDia
Release date: 13 December 2024
Website: https://montepenumbra.bandcamp.com/album/austere-dawning
Country: Portugal
Score: A starving 3.3/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 