Schreigarm - Comes and Darkness Shall Reign

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Schreigarm is a black metal band from Germany who formed in 2020. Their latest release, “Mara Comes and Darkness Shall Reign,” is their second full-length album.

I missed out on their debut but “Mara Comes…” has proven itself to me as a surprisingly infectious atmospheric black metal album with a ton of memorable moments. The album retains a fast and aggressive nature, never really losing its edge through the atmospheric elements. I like how the atmo/melodic elements are somewhat subtle and don’t overpower any of the more traditional side of the band’s sound.

The production is very tight—not all black metal bands need a raw sound and, honestly, for blackened music of this style then I want something that shines a little brighter. There are a lot of layers to these songs and each individual element unfolds very well because of how good the album sounds.

I want to praise the intro song, “Darkness Shall Reign.” Intro songs are becoming a pandemic in the metal scene and most of them are a waste of my goddamn time. But this one is fantastic. It actually seems more like a full song and does an excellent job of, well, introducing the rest of the album. 

It fades out just as “Winds of the Ancient Pantheons,” bursts first with speed and aggressive drums. The guitars are heavy yet melodic and within seconds the band blends in their brand of black metal effortlessly. The lead guitar is mesmerizing: soaring, catchy, and a perfect way to bridge the light and dark elements. 

The band is effective as well with shorter compositions, such as “When The Ravens Flow Through My Veins.” The chorus, with the catchy vocal lines switching between blackened shrieks and low growls, was stuck in my head for some time. But the rest of the song has much to offer as well, in particular the groovy riffs and melodic bass lines.  

“Nine Days on the Gallows Tree,” is a personal favorite of mine. I really like the opening acoustics and keys, it feels majestic and even folk-ish to a degree. The song soon flows into atmospheric waves, the guitars and bass laying down a thick fog while the drums and vocals keep it firmly on the extreme side of black metal. The cadence of the vocal delivery is vicious, especially in the middle portion. From there, the song slides back into pretty acoustics before building back up again. Epic as fuck.

The final song, “Born from the Ashes of War,” is another favorite of mine. The atmospheric is tragic and sullen, pairing well with the rumbling of the double bass. The vocalist really gives his all here and those riffs hit HARD.  

Schreigarm's “Mara Comes and Darkness Shall Reign,” is a black metal album that blends the genre’s aggressive nature with atmo/melodic elements in a grand way. Highly recommended. 

Rating: Excellent




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