Metalcatto
I don’t meet too many Black Metal bands with a name like Black Door, because that sounds more like a grandpa Rock band than evil Norwegian shrieking. But Shadows of a Funerary Gleam goes more like bathing in a ton of goat blood. That’s more like it, right? So, can these guys impress us in any way? I’ve never heard of them, so it’s not going to be easy. And lately, I don’t feel like giving high scores unless the band really earns it. Yes, I’ve turned cynical. It’s part of the business. Deal with it.
Alright, this isn’t bad. Shadows does embody the Icelandic sound, but in much shorter tracks, which for many of you will be an absolute blessing. There’s that dense atmosphere that swallows you whole, but with more dynamic riffing—as in things change faster in less time. But don’t worry, you still get your repetitive, almost numbing back-and-forth blasting. So yes, this thing feels much longer than it is, but that’s actually not a problem, because the darkness is tasty here.
At times, it feels like Black Door wanted to make an instrumental album, but the guys didn’t want to kick out the vocalist. Having said that, the vocals here do complement the music well, creating very Blut Aus Nord moments. Most of the time, though, the album stays more in Svartidaudi realm. So we end up with this kind of glorious minimalism that for some reason we have come to accept as complex Black Metal. Now, I do have to mention the things I dislike.
Black Metal is very serious as you know.
I understand the idea of creating an atmosphere, and some tracks do this better than others. But it gets a bit stale when you hit me with the same idea for like half the track. Even if the idea is awesome, I’m left getting lost in my own thoughts and hoping for a change soon. Shadows follows a clear path that many albums have done before, which is why my expectations were met but not overcome. It’s not that bad, right? The repetition is intentional, but it also limits the album’s ability to surprise.
Overall, I’m satisfied with the experience Black Door has delivered. It has enough horror and creativity to keep us engaged for most of it. Sure, it could have been even more creative and taken a few more risks, but I’m not mad. I can live with another obscure atmospheric album making me question my sanity—but most of all, my music taste.
Label: Wolves of Hades
Release date: August 28th, 2026
Website: https://black-door.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-shadows-of-a-funerary-gleam
Country: Netherlands
Score: 3.0/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 