Gdansk, Poland is a town that mixes old European mystique with industrial grit. Toss in some Norwegian quaintness and a bit of a British seaside vibe and you got it. It's not as steeped in history as Krakow or as ostentatious as Warsaw, but it has an undeniable attraction that draws you back over and over again. And if you can get that, you might get FUNERAL MASS, a Black Metal foursome that mixes all aspects of SWBM from melodic tremolo to furious blast beats to demonic vocals to hellscape riffs and all the distortion you can eat. On December 2, 2022 they released their third full-length album, "Shadow of the Raventhrone." It's a well-crafted piece of Black Metal that reminds you of everything that's great about this genre.

Upon first approaching "Shadow of the Raventhrone" most listeners will appreciate the cover art by Dominika "Anihilova" Olszewski who I am guessing is also Dominika "Panik Art" Panek who rendered the illustrations for many of FUNERAL MASS's previous albums. Icy castle set on a craggy mountain face, ravens in flight, waning and waxing moons, waterfalls and pentagrams-you know, Disneyland for Black Metal fans. And when the atmospheric intro of the first track falls under the onslaught of discordant riffs, it's that exact image that your mind is likely to evoke.

"Shadow of the Raventhrone" comprises seven tracks and clocks out at just over 45 minutes. Those familiar with FUNERAL MASS will notice some changes in the lineup with Ignacy Macikowski on drums and Dmytro Kvashnin joining Kamil Żerański on the guitar front. Way back fans will also notice a remake "Everlasting Pagan Flame" (now dubbed "Everlasting Pagan Flame 2022") from band's first EP, originally recorded during the "cold polish autumn of 2018."

Standout tracks include the opening track, "With Sinister Spell," the hard-hitting "Epitaphium" and refreshed but still raw "Everlasting Pagan Flame 2022." The remainder of the tracks are all fairly consistent. In fact, if there is any fault with the album it's that it'a very even keeled. There are few valleys or hills, just straight discordant Black Metal for three quarters of an hour. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, there's a lot right with that. FUNERAL MASS isn't a band trying to find their sound or explore new horizons by fusing esoteric and exotic styles into their mix. And that pretty much sums up "Shadow of the Raventhrone"-good classic Black Metal with no pretention.