Vicky
I’d like to start this off by asking a very honest question: why are there so many bands named Cromlech? Trying to track down the Cromlech that’s about to release Of Owls and Eels is the Black Metal equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack. Naming your band “Cromlech” is basically a cooler way to say “Stonehenge,” but I swear there are more Cromlechs out there than bands named Stonehenge—at least judging by what turns up on Encyclopaedia Metallum. I could be wrong, but in the Metal realm, guessing games are half the fun. Anyway, now that we’ve made it through that intro, let’s dig into Of Owls and Eels.
As I was saying, this is a Black Metal record—something you might expect from Burzum if they leaned into a more Symphonic approach (not symphonic like Cradle of Filth, but in the sense of using atmospheric keyboards). You catch that vibe from the very start with “Old Incineration Hymn”. It immediately screams old-school Norwegian Black Metal—or more accurately, German Black Metal, since the band’s sole member, Impurus, is German. Naturally, being released in 2025, the production is far from raw. It’s not “kvlt” in that lo-fi sense but still stays faithful to the genre, just with a touch more clarity that might help it reach a wider audience. That’s a whole other debate though.
Musically, beware: this is shriek-heavy. If you’re not already a devoted Black Metal fan who can endure forty-ish minutes of screeches, tremolo-picked riffs, and extended, epic solos, this album might not land for you. For me personally, it didn’t fully captivate—but if you’re into the classics, it’s worth checking out, even just for the vocals. Cromlech draws deeply from Black Metal royalty—there are clear nods to Mayhem, among others. Here’s a fun fact: Cromlech was founded by Impurus all the way back in 1994. He’s still the one-man force behind the project, which means there’s no chance of a chaotic collapse like Mayhem in ’93. The band was inactive for years before Impurus returned in 2021, and released the debut Cold and Stiff in 2023. Both that album and Of Owls and Eels are released through Darkness Shall Rise Productions.
The standout track for me is probably “Ice Curse”. It leans more into a Gothic Black Metal direction and genuinely feels like something out of a twisted fairytale. It’s immersive and haunting in the best way. I couldn’t catch many lyrics—possibly none at all—but that actually works in the album’s favor. It keeps things mysterious, raw, and kind of “trve,” if you get what I mean.
I’m not here to push anyone into something they’re not ready for, but if you’ve got the time and the mental space for it, give Of Owls and Eels a shot. Just a friendly tip: start with “Eels (Part I)”. It makes the whole thing click a lot better that way.
Label: Darkness Shall Rise Productions
Release date: June 6, 2025
Website (the unforgetting Bandcamp): https://cromlechdarknessshallrise.bandcamp.com/
Country: Germany
Score: 2.2/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 