From their EPK, "STERVELING is a one-man band founded in 2022 by M.vdW from the Netherlands. With a debut full-length released on September 26th, 2025, STERVELING is ready for the next chapter in its existence. The music can be described as atmospheric black metal, its feel and essence best summarized by the artwork of the new album. A figure frozen with streams of moving lights rolling over him amidst a desert of overwhelming black. A bright shining porthole mesmerizing, tempting the protagonist, but at the same time unreachable for now. The same holds for the music, which takes the listener on a journey moving closer to a final climactic conclusion, yet dark, minimalist and building only very slowly.

The album has three lengthy songs, and "Verstoten" is first. It eases in slowly at first, with an electronic buzz, and then a thick, cold riff fills the air with smoke. Raging, tortured vocals follow suit. It's a cold song, and that cold can transfer to the listener. If there is a light somewhere, it isn't readily viewable. In fact, it is blotted out by the harrowing nature of the song. Creepy organ notes take charge after the halfway mark, followed by stern keyboards. The crescendo of sound is quite noteworthy. "Oneindige Oorlog" Is just a little shorter, but still burns your skin with a frigid bite of below zero air. It takes a deeply despondent turn, where the vocals sing with hopelessness and regret. Next, it rises with rage, and it ends on an unnerving note.

"Met Kalmte in het Hart" is the final song. It has another ambient start, with tension building in the guitars. The vocals are solemn and despondent at first, and you can hear them trail off as the singer seems to have nothing left inside to sustain them. They speak of rage slowly dying, and each note takes another piece of you down with it. Rounding the halfway mark, it picks back up with haste and energy, determined to make a final run. It seems he is going to fall short, but he crawls across the line. The tension on this album is through the roof, and they throw all Black Metal convention out of the window to build something different in the genre. It's bold, daring, and cold, as any lightless journey should be.