From Austria, comes Post-Black Metal band ANOMALIE. Formed in 2011. Comparable to the multiple faces of a colossal river like the Danube, the music on "Riverchild" provides a diverse range of facets taking the listener on a journey full of profound and honest emotions expressed through aggressive outbursts of pure Black Metal dissonance as well as fragile moments of introspective calmness. ANOMALIE once again asks for focus and patience, but offers a wider range of layer than ever before. The album has nine songs.

“Mother of Stars” is first. Drums announce the coming of the dawn, and is rising with force. From there, is a somber sound, with a heavy bottom end, and clean vocals. There is a burdensome atmosphere as well, especially with the advent of harsh vocals, that weighs on the listener. “Perpetual Twilight” is more aggressive at the bottom end, but also more melodic, and the band strikes the unlikely balance between these two elements. The also shift both the meter and the sound subtly so that it flows together. “Heart to Beat” focuses more on the somber melodies but that bottom end remains firm, and rigid. At this point, the album is flirting with the Doom genre, but not quite crossing the border.

“Awakening” flows with a dark energy that is fired up from the first few notes. The guitar work is quite intricate in this song as well, but it is also easy to listen to. The title track might be the best on the album. It begins with the gentle sway of acoustic guitars, and leads to another emotionally heavy sound, and the proverbial weight almost crushes your bones. “Among Shadows” has both a darker and heavier sound, as the title suggests. The sound is also more aggressive, especially in the rolling drums, which sound like thunder personified. “A Cosmic Truth” bubbles with tension at first, and from there, a deep depression settles in as there is an exchange of clean and harsh vocals.

“Thoughts” closes the album, and it’s an introspective song that features acoustic guitars, despondent vocals, and an ever-grey sky for miles. This was an excellent album that straddled both the Black Metal and Doom Metal genres very well, and there were balanced amounts of aggression, anger, melancholy, and despair. The more you listen, the more you will be swept away with the tide.