Nottinghamshire’s "ARX ATRATA" returns with "A Reckoning", their fourth full-length release, an album that commands not just to be heard but to be felt. This is an odyssey into atmospheric black metal, where layers of sound converge to create a rich, brooding landscape of raw emotion and haunting beauty. Each track unfolds like chapters of an epic tale, steeped in mystery, melancholy, and depth. The album opens with "To Sunder the World", an instrumental composition that immediately sets the tone for the voyage ahead. This is not merely an introduction but a carefully woven spell that draws you into a twilight realm. The track builds with unhurried precision, a slow crescendo that mirrors the anticipation of something profound. There’s a tangible weight to the sound, as though the very air around you thickens with each passing note. The piece evokes the image of a moonlit night, where the world is held in suspension—awaiting a reckoning that will forever alter its course.

As you step further into this shadowed world, "I Was a Witness to His Passing" bursts forth, propelled by razor-sharp guitars and visceral vocals. This track is a storm—a rush of wind through skeletal trees, a cascade of stars reflected in dark waters. The melodies carry an almost prophetic weight, as though recounting an ancient tale, half-forgotten, yet undeniably real. The song's pacing is impeccable, allowing moments of calm before the next onslaught of intensity, creating a push-pull dynamic that mirrors the emotional turbulence at its core. At the heart of the album lies "Mercy Unearned", a song of haunting majesty and fierce beauty. This is where "ARX ATRATA" truly excels—balancing the harshness of black metal with a melodic sensibility that is both melancholic and awe-inspiring. The vocals rasp with desperation, while the guitars paint a vast, desolate landscape. Yet within this bleakness lies an undeniable sense of grandeur, an epic scale that evokes the feeling of standing on the edge of the world, staring into the abyss.

The mysterious "The Witch" follows, a track steeped in the arcane. It is a ritual in itself, moving through shifting moods and tempos like the changing phases of the moon. There’s an unsettling beauty to this song, with melodies that linger like incantations on the wind. The vocals tell a tale of hidden knowledge and ancient power, evoking a world where magic and darkness intertwine. The bass lines pulse beneath the surface, anchoring the track in a steady, hypnotic rhythm, while the guitars soar and dive, creating a tapestry of sound as intricate as the twisting branches of a cursed tree.

Speaking of trees, the album’s cover art is a surrealistic oil painting, depicting a twisted blue demon tree under the full moon, its gnarled branches reaching skyward as though clawing at the stars. The image is haunting, a visual embodiment of the album’s themes of transformation and despair. This exotic, otherworldly piece of art perfectly encapsulates the spirit of "A Reckoning"—it is both beautiful and unsettling, a reminder that within the darkness lies a strange and terrible beauty.