ERSTWHILE – Steeling of a Soul

Atmospheric black metal of the depressive variety is just what the mood calls for today, and as luck would have it, the CD version of Erstwhile’s Steeling of a Soul popped up in my mailbox this afternoon. Perfect timing, right?

Trance-inducing, utterly morose, and repetitive in the best way possible, the EP and its five bone-chilling tracks are as efficient and solid as they come with respect to creating and maintaining a dense aura that envelops the listener from beginning to end. Apart from not losing its momentum along the way, the disc is a fine example of how to craft engrossing and dark black metal using relatively simple means but weaving everything together so that it sounds layered and full of swirling textures. Simply put, this is a good, raw-sounding output that reeks of passion and longing, and on top of that, it is a fitting soundtrack to a grey and miserable day. which is nicely illustrated by the composition titled ‘Distant Hearts Vast Land’.