From Bandcamp, “Similarly to previous NOTTURNO albums, the sound is rooted in atmospheric and depressive black metal with the additional of classical instruments incorporated into the compositions only adding to the rich sonic tapestry, though perhaps never as seamlessly as on this latest album. Kjiel's vulnerable and desperate vocals hover over the musical layers creating a vivid reflection of anguish and melancholy.” The album has five songs, and “Adagio” is first. It enters with an air of dark mystery, like you have discovered a door deep in a cave that is clearly man-made. What lies on the other side? “Inside” is the first proper track, and it enters gently once again. There is an air of desperation in the clean female vocals…I don’t know exactly what she is saying but her voice is hasty and shaky. Later, they turn to anguished screams, and you can feel the hot breath of each note.

“Anymore” has a similar depressing sound, and her vocal screams continue with deep pain. A few minutes in comes piano and a harder, darker riff, not overly distorted, but it’s the vocals that carry much of the sound. “Paranoia” is more ardent in nature, with a hasty entering riff and some energy that seems to come from someone who is running for their lives from something chasing them that they can’t quite make out. “Doors” closes the album, and the hasty sounds are gone. It seems the chase is over, either physically or mentally, but you have no idea what happened to them. Her clean vocals plead with you, plead for your help. But the depressive piano tones suggest no such help is coming.

This was a good album, but I would have liked to have heard more songs. The strictly despondent ones were full of emotion, and the more ardent ones provided a nice balance on the album. It wasn’t quite as rich and full of a sound as I had hoped for however.