As more and more artists go solo (for more or less obvious reasons) with a band in description only, more such bands crop up, more or less innovative. Flowing Downward offers two such "bands" this year, both Indonesian: Dusk In Silence and Soulless. This review concerns the former and its debut album "Beneath Great Sky Of Solitude", a very good if a little generic offering full of skilful atmospheric black metal which could use some more variation from time to time.

Formed probably around 2019 by a mysterious multiinstrumentalist vocalist known only as "H" Bangoen, Dusk In Silence nods both to INSOMNIUM and to HARAKIRI IN THE SKY in the way the multimelodic passages marry the raw and powerful blackened death, or, if you will, deathened black. All tracks are good but I particularly like the opening eponymous track or the subsequent "The Goddess of Eclipse" but by the time the, admittedly great opening riff of "An Ode To Eternity" reminds you of early EMPEROR things get a little familiar so that is probably why the relatively short "Wandering The Mortal Realm" seems so safe and predictable in comparison. Fortunately, "Towards The Infinite Horizon" picks up the level and the album is enjoyable all the way until the end.

Three spins down the road H’s debut shows a promise but it is far from a revelation. I think I prefer Harakiri For The Sky and Insomnium over this sometimes too obvious derivative as well as label mates Soulless but for details concerning the latter you’ll have to wait for the review.

https://duskinsilence.bandcamp.com/