Right at the end of 2022, CLARET ASH released the first installment of their Worldtorn series. It was aptly named "Gateways" and featured a single track of the same name. The series promises to focus on "events after the collapse of society and the near eradication of humanity." A recurrent theme in Extreme Metal as of late. On August 11, 2023 the band issued the second installment: "Worldtorn: Anemoia" via Hypnotic Dirge Records. The album includes two new tracks, a reworking of "Ground Dweller" from their first album, an acoustic rendition of "The Wolves Have Fed Again" from their second album, and an orchestral version of "Cascadence of the Twilight" from the current album. To be honest, based on the theme of the album, I wasn't too enthused as I approached it. CLARET ASH, however, has done something exemplary with this album, and I was sent to the corner to have a good think about my biases.

CLARET ASH is promoted as Melodic Black Metal, and that they are. They also delve into the Atmospheric underdark which fits nicely with their overall approach. They formed more than a decade ago in 2012 and have three full-length albums out. The third is a compilation of two EPs. I suspect we may see something similar with the Worldtorn series-that is, perhaps they'll be gathered in one collection once it's all been said and done. To be clear, the band has not suggested they'll do this-it's just me speculating. Would make a nice edition, though. Just saying.

The cover art CLARET ASH has selected is stunning. As usual it is by Samuel Nelson at Stigma Art. If you want a visual treat, go to the band's Bandcamp page and take a look at the entire collection side-by-side.

Music-wise, the album starts off abruptly with "Cascadence of the Twilight." Clocking in at almost eight minutes, this is an epic track navigating through several major movements. It is surprisingly heavy and only eases up for a minute or two just past mid-track for a bit of an acoustic break. Track two, "Invocation of the Dream Weavers," gets back to the band's melodic core. The track puts the band's songwriting skills to work as it hits the 9.5-minute mark. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album, followed by the remake of "Ground Dweller." Did they need a remake? Apparently they play it live and it has become "faster and more intense" than the original version. I quite liked it, so mission accomplished.

The acoustic and orchestral cuts add a nice touch to the album. I quite liked hearing the tracks deconstructed to their bare bones. It highlights some of the more nuanced aspects of the compositions. The field recording overlays and choral vocals also help to build the atmospheric and classic ambiance as well. Well done, these pieces.

Overall, I was pleased and surprised and impressed and all the rest of it with "Worldtorn: Anemoia." Certainly enough to motivate me to check out earlier releases by CLARET ASH. For fans of Melodic Black and maybe even Atmospheric Black, this is an album and band worth checking out. Looking forward to hearing the next installment of the series.