Another black metal band with no listed band members anywhere. Is it a solo project? Is it not? Well, whatever Astral Spear may be, I'm a bit late reviewing their only release, "Ancient Throne of Sinister Rites," as this Polish band broke up this year. After rigorous research (scanning Metallum and their label's Bandcamp), I have little to work off of in terms of introducing the band. This EP was released back in December, and hopefully, this album was so good that they can't do any better! Or it was so bad that they split off...

"Intro" is one of three intros scattered throughout this already shorter release. It acts as an ambience builder, so while it plays, I'll relay as much background information I can about these guy(s). They hail from Poland, which hosted a significant black metal scene in the genre's earlier days. Astral Spear yearns to re-create the feel of the 90's with this EP. Anyways, "On Your Command" is the first proper black metal track. The atmosphere is strong with this one. The vast plane of muddy drumming and sonic riffage drones on and on, with dissonant screeches echoing in pursuit. I can't tell whether the band was going after an ambient-like black metal sound, or they're just hindered by the production. "On Your Command" is a nice song to start out on, and it flows into "Intro II." Now I'm not sure if you can call something an introduction when it appears seven minutes into an album, but the terrifying voices emitting from the track are not ones I should question. "My Masters Call" introduces louder guitars, and post-metal songs are jealous of its tremolo picking. The guitars get a bit too loud, and while I'd never think I'd complain about distortion while writing about metal, the track gets pretty convoluted from time to time.

Surprise surprise! We get two full tracks in a row without an intro! "Wings of Madness" sounds like a power metal song, but it's the farthest thing from. The molasses tempo, with its heavy bass and lethargic singing, never really pick up. Again, the lead guitar is overpowering its instrumental partners. I felt my chair lower every inch into my floor for every minute I spent listening to this sludgy song. I climbed back up just in time for "Intro III." Star Wars ambience starts and ends in about a minute. "Herald of Torment" wraps up this LP solidly, and I can hear some keyboard shenanigans that I've yet to hear anywhere else. After only twenty-one minutes, Astral Spear has given us all they can give, apparently.

I'm not sure why this band broke up. "Ancient Throne of Sinister Rites" is a fine atmospheric black metal EP, and it could definitely fit in with the first wave of Polish metal. I'd rather this be a full-length release, and, well, not the only release from Astral Spear. I'd like to see more from this project, so I'll be patently waiting for Astral Spear-related news.