From the capital of black metal (Sweden) comes the female-dominated Fayenne. Fayenne is a band all about female supremacy, feminism, and everything womanly. The trio is 2/3rds women, too. Their style of black metal is of the straightforward occult sort, but hopefully their thematic choices set them apart from the bajillions of black metal bands. After all, the genre is currently stale...

Fayenne clearly understands how to execute black metal. The self-titled track kick-starts the album in a depressing, melodic fashion. AH's vocals, due to their high pitch, resemble DSBM singing styles. DSBM is not my cup of tea at all, and rightfully so, because anyone who uses the phrase "cup of tea" isn't meant for depressive suicidal black metal. The track is filled to the brim with Martin's blistering drums, which never seem to stop. He is the sole dude of the group, so on three, everyone boo. 1, 2, 3 - I'm just kidding. I'd never boo a drummer as proficient as he is. "Sulfur and Mercury" is up next, continuing the cold, low-fidelity feel of the title track. It's a basic song, with forefront guitar leads from Mikaela. "Black Haze" is a slower, moodier (if possible) piece that further immures me in Fayenne's hellish dimension. The brutality, slamming drums, and extra-strained vocals make"Black Haze" an instant highlight. "Unholy Rebirth" is epic, soaring, and constantly in-your-face.

The first half of "The Calling From the Depth" is stronger than the second, mainly because the tracks are longer and Fayenne's sound is still new and exciting. The sound isn't exciting anymore once I get to songs like "Waters of Ancient Blood," "Serpents Order," and "Primordial Surface." All of these songs are shorter listens and fluctuate between melodicism and symphonic elements, yet I've heard it all before, most of it no less than twenty minutes ago. The last track, however, "Melas Khloe," is a closer that feels like the opener: bombastic, loud, and longer. It's clear that Fayenne benefits from songs that are at least four minutes long.

In conclusion, Fayenne put some solid black metal in "The Calling From the Depth." However, I couldn't grasp onto the supposed feminine lyrical themes. While the music is solid, it's forgettable.