Hailing from Poland, ARS MAGNA UMBRAE is a newly born one-man band, manifesting atmospheric black metal with elements of nightly darkness and the occult. This project began its journey with the release of the EP "Through Lunar Gateways" which was released in February this year.

The first track "Into The Inescapable Madness" throws the listener straight into blackened madness. Distorted guitars and vocals dominate, creating what seems like a whirlpool of chaos, matching the mind-bending album cover well. The full-on bass makes feel like I am sinking into some kind of black hole in the ground (matching the album cover, once again!). Higher-pitched riffs add a rough edge to the stormy winds of reverb. In "The Paradox Paradigm" echoed vocal calls create a holy (or perhaps un-holy) element. Deep female vocals emerge, and sing a tribal, spooky sounding tune.

"Through Lunar Gateways" bears dissonance, like a broken, dilapidated house that is close to destruction. Half way through, the haunting female vocals return, in a foreboding call. Her voice seems almost ancient in style, with her shaking voice that resonates along with the distorted guitars. With the finale of the album at "On The Cross Roads", we haven't come to a dead end yet. Blast beats and vibrational melancholia sustains throughout. Half way through, the pace slows down and brings in soul-wrenching female vocals that are backed with dark chord sequences. Progressing towards the finale, the chord sequences continue on in the background while the harsh vocals make a powerful come-back. As the track ceases to a close, a weeping operatic vocal and choir fades into the distance.

With the release of "Through Lunar Gateways", ARS MAGNA UMBRAE have become one with the world of atmospheric black metal. I sensed some raw emotion here, particularly from the female vocals that really added to the ambience and originality of the EP. Personally, I find some of the transitions in the song structures a bit 'choppy' on occasion, though the changes do create contrast. I find this music to be emotionally dark, powerful and atmospheric on many levels.