DAUGHTERS OF SOPHIA is a one-man Atmospheric/Post-Black Metal from France. Formed in 2011, the band have previously released two full-length albums. The album symbol is Japanese, but I could not find any translation for it. It is his third full-length, and contains 9 songs. "Mayaki" is the first. The opening tones are sad, and hopeless, and mostly from the leads and smooth rhythms underneath. The pace hastens somewhat, and that doleful sound turns from empty to somewhat angry. Grey clouds break across the sky, and alternating periods of rain and stillness follow. "Reina" has angrier tones out of the gate, and the background is thick and overgrown. Leads create a more charming sound, as the song spends some time in the warm sun.

"Merudi" is a bit more hardened from the underlying rhythms. I didn't realize that this was going to be an instrumental album. The soundscapes that the artist develops are vast, and you feel all alone looking up at the stars on a clear night. Pondering your place in the Universe, with very few answers. "Elhaym" is a lengthy haul. The song quickly develops into layers of guitars and other instruments, each feeding off one another like a street gang on a violent rampage. It holds a pretty steady presence to it until there is brief wane, followed by a race for your life through the end. "Feena" has similar thick layers of sound that are both rich and inviting. But it's akin to being invited to a party with friends, only to discover that it is something different altogether...a sort of uneasy feeling at times.

"Lenneth" is a beastly 14 minutes. Warm tones lead off the song, still with a chilling breeze every now and again. The warmth wraps you like a blanket, while the chill cools your skin as it passes. I see hues of green, blue and violet, with an occasional black flower in between. The flow in this song is more natural...more organic. It's also brighter in terms of the footprint it leaves behind. "Kyaro" is a shorter, and more succinct sound, with some questioning tones, making you think. But before you can figure anything out, the song ends. "Schala" features more hardened tones, and more dreary and grey tones. At this point in the album however, the songs are starting to run together. "Earisu" closes the album. It's another lengthy song with much of the same sounds as the others. Don't get me wrong, I like the sound, but it is getting repetitive after nine songs of nearly the same sound.

In using an earlier metaphor of being alone in a vast field, and looking up at the stars, you feel alone, but surrounded by billions of others at the same time. How is that possible? Humanity can result in the one place where there are billions of people on this planet, yet you can feel completely and utterly alone. On some level, not to be a gatekeeper, this is hard to call Black Metal, because there are no vocals, and the sound is only heavy at times. The Atmospheric label fits a little better. In any case, I like the various sounds the composer developed on the album. But, many of the songs had a similar sound. This was a good listen, but could have been better if there was more diversity.Purchase Link:

https://daughtersofsophia.bandcamp.com/album/--4