From their EPK, “Listening to CROMLECH`s second album "Of Owls and Eels," which Darkness Shall Rise has the pleasure to unleash on various formats, it`s strikingly obvious that such music couldn`t have been created by newcomers. “Of Owls and Eels," while musically and atmospherically definitely being a Black Metal album, is also a daring effort of a seasoned musician expressing himself in an authentic way without paying attention to genre conventions. Thus, we are presented with a diverse and highly enjoyable album, where cold Black Metal riffs and high-level drumming merge seamlessly with eerie keyboards and surreal, almost hallucinatory soundscapes. A journey through shadow, memory and dream.”

The album has seven songs, and “Old Incineration Hymn” is first, a short instrumental introduction. The mood is both somber, and tense, The organ notes are towering, and the harsh vocals sound harrowing. “Past Forever” is next. It has a raucous energy, and more imposing organ notes. The riffs build in layers, but stop just before a crescendo, harkening down to more subdued, eerie sounds. The vocals are nothing short of absolutely frightening as well. “Owls in the Fog” is a full on assault on you, your senses, even your family can’t escape. Again, it slows however, to take on some ethereal qualities, much like a vivid nightmare. “Ice Curse” has some ominous qualities to it, and the riff is slow, and powerful. The notes seem to come straight at you, and enter your body through your soul. There are also more solemn tones, and the band’s ability to walk that line is noteworthy.

“Eels (Part I)” is out of left field. Acoustical guitars, keyboards, and spoken words lead this song, and some of the lyrics seem prophetic, like they are telling a story. “The Quiet Witness” begins with an eerie dream…the kind that you are not sure whether or not you are awake or asleep, and it lingers like a memory. “Mordlust” closes the album, and it’s an in-your-face attack, with razors for vocals and bombs for riffs, and the keyboards keep a steady presence in the background.  A journey through shadow, memory, and dream, indeed. For me, it was more like a journey through shadows and nightmares, and the way Impurus brought them to light was noteworthy. It’s another example of Black Metal composed outside of the boxes of convention and tradition.