From Bandcamp, “Arð are of Northumbria. With their eagerly awaited sophomore album "Untouched by Fire", the inventors of monastic doom present another stunning milestone on their fast rising trajectory. Both musically and lyrically, mastermind Mark Deeks has climbed to new heights. Arð continue on their mission to explore the culture, heritage, and identity of the Northern English lands of Northumbria.”

“Cursed to Nothing but Patience” is the first cut. Like KATATONIA, the music is both crushingly heavy and delicate at the same time, and the harmonized vocals are very smooth and sweet. The strings also bring a touch of melancholy. As a whole, the song is very well put together. “Name Bestowed” brings that church organ sound of old around again. The vocals sound like monastic chants, and piano and strings pair nicely together. The lead guitar notes bring an ominous and monumental sound with them, and the sound begins to expand.

“Hefenfelth” begins with somber piano and strings that are as melodic as they are sobering. The main riff could easily lay waste with authority, but instead it teeters on the edge. As it continues, raindrops get steadily heavier, until that chill sets in. “He Saw Nine Winters” has a peaceful calmness to it. Anyone who has lived through nine winters has learned that the way to cope with them is patience. The tortoise wins the race, not the hare. I can picture a light snowfall filling the air, while everything goes quiet.

“Beset by Weapons” is a short, three-minute song that reminds me of the beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Mountain peaks soar, and sweet valleys and rivers lie inauspiciously at their feet. Let this one soak in, for it will fill you with warmth. “Casket of Dust” brings the album to a close. It has calm tones at first, that segue into a deep, cavernous sound that seems to expand the very underworld beneath. As it labors, the weight it placed on you gets heavier and heavier. You can walk away, but you will always carry it on some level.

Overall, I found the album to be sad, sweet, and harmonious. The burden it carries reminds me of a grieving widow visiting her love’s gravesite as leaves fall from the trees in late fall. She visits only once a week now, where it used to be every day. No matter how much time passes, the wound still feels fresh. But within the hurt, she finds solace in something greater out there, that you can’t see, but can just feel. For me, it’s an album that highlights the duality and complexity of emotions and the human spirit.