The ancient ruins of despair haunt the vacant hills of withering flora. Italy's ANCESTRAL KVLTV, a black metal band, formed in 2013. Their newest creation, "Nomen Omen," an album lined with folkish black metal and reminisces on an early style of the genre, is unique in telling their own stories that foster decay of history. The project is made by Valgroth, and is thus a one person band. Each track is only three minutes long, which makes the work a very short album. This works to the project's advantage, as even though it is short-lived, it is remembered more vividly.

"The Scroll Of the Truth" begins in a boreal forest where the sound of the guitars move eloquently across the malleable space. The breakdowns are innocent, producing a rolling thunder. The tremolo picking of the guitars is fast paced and high pitched, and moves alongside the guttural voice. An unknown force hides the melody. Drums fly swiftly without ease over the musical muse. In the forest there lies the ruins of a house. The house is quite old, and more like a castle. It is hundreds of years old. "Hyperborea" continues the thought in the decrepit spaces in the valley hills. Sounds repeat in the house and can be heard down in the foyer of dust and tangled vines. Roses shed their delight, and the harmonious atmosphere encompasses the guitars that are heavy and full of energy. It is of older times, of other similar projects that had the ideas previously. CELTIC FROST coats the lips of those who speak. The double kick guides the person down the Persian, carpeted stairs, that rots underneath. "The Birth Of The Earth-Born" manifests an old folk tune, not easily deciphered by the waves that come over it. Drums are silent and often skip a few beats, creating a fantastical drum pattern that makes the track more authentic. There are windows on the roof of the ruin. They have been opened by the elements, and a slight trickle of water seep down the stone walls, accented with banners and paintings. It is faded and torn by the sunlight during the day. The voice is solemn. It can be heard clearly. The piece becomes ritualistic, but screams in horror as the song presses on. The guitars are silenced and all that can be heard are the whispers of the ruins placed in the hills with gray grass. "Munera Manibus" features a strong and lengthened scream. The music is bouncy, creating a rhythm that is built on top of the previous. There is a slight breeze through the ruin. There is no roof in some parts of the palace, and bats nestle in the corners of the cracks. The music ceases its violently beautiful energy and it is slowed down a bit. The track is quite vocally-based, making a different feeling when compared to the rest of the piece. "Temple Of My Mind" is rooted in simplicity, but it is majestic. There are changes in the frequencies and tunes. The pattern of the drums are transient. The breakdowns make for a magnificent ballad that is echoed in the track. The castle-like ruin is stained with a dark hue, and the palace is lined with a smell of the wooden fixtures and glass chandeliers. But most of the marble and gold furniture has been stolen from the interior, making the place feel a bit emptier than it should. "Into The Woods Whith Out End" is a harmonious track. The double kick resounds throughout the walls. Carrying the familiar feels of WINDIR through the ending track makes the piece feel a bit more ancestral. Synths sound in the backdrop with tremolo picking before ground. Voices are harsh, and the guitars combat the high pitched nature of the sounds. It is a significant curation to the finish the album. The solid castle doors implode on themselves and the cemented structure disintegrates like sand. There is a fireplace in the foyer that is suddenly lit for the first time in years. The house is filled with smoke and the wet puddles from the roof are thus dried. All is pleasant and calm.

ANCESTRAL KVLTV's "Nomen Omen" is a piece that is grounded in an other-worldly nature. It is peaceful, but it doesn't stray away from the darker elements that make it lust for more curiosity. Hearing sounds of other projects makes it seem less unique, but ANCESTRAL KVLTV used the ideas to morph this into something that is noteworthy. It is truly defined and is has a multitude of characters dissolved in its music.