From their record label’s website, “Originally formed in 2012, GENUNE found its true beginning with the release of its debut album "Cern Sol" in 2018. The band’s sound is best described as ‘atmospheric post-black metal’, opting for compositions that unfold organically with peaks of intensity followed by calmer interludes, wherein influences from genres ranging from, but not limited to shoegaze, electronica, Americana, Anatolian rock, converge in a coherent and personal blend. Themes of time, consciousness, identity and life make the bulk of the band’s lyrical content, expressed through an attempted modernist poetic approach. Their sophomore release in 2021, "Inert & Unerring,” expanded upon this vision, delving further into the concept of identity. "Infinite Presence" is the product of the most radiant hope and the deepest absence.

“The Sun Will Always Shine” is first, and it comes out of the gate with an aggressive Black Metal sound, that is washed away by the advent of clean, melodic tones and emotional vocals. Even the harsh vocals are tempered somewhat. The clean passages remind me of how right things feel after a thunderstorm ends, and the piano notes towards the end are nothing short of gorgeous. “Little Fountains” also sports a firm and thick Black Metal base but this time, melodies rise above from the first few notes. Even the deep bite of the harsh vocals doesn’t seem to hurt so much. “Stay a Little Longer” has heavier, darker and more dissonant tones out of the gate, that are once again tempered just enough from the clean melodies. You can also hear animated bass guitar notes. Just after the halfway mark, lush keyboards enter and carry the melody away into the clouds. But they begin to fall back down to earth with descending notes.

“Infinite Presence” features warm and gentle clean notes…the kind that draw you in and make you forget about the previous aggression. The acoustic chords are simple, but the somber melody noteworthy. “To Not Grow Old” brings the thick and heavy Black Metal sound back to the forefront, but with melodies in tow, and the clean harmonized vocals paint a very somber picture. The electronic passage adds another feeling to the song, and it is energizing, asking you not to give in to old age, but rather to face it head on and stay ahead of it. “I Want You Here” is the final cut, and it combines aggressive guitar and drums with a heaping dose of melody. The two walk hand in hand together. If you follow the somber melody line running through it too closely, it might carry you away to a place you can never return from.

The album features doses of Post Black and Blackgaze elements that hint at the future of this genre, and not wanting to remain still, they band shifts the sound constantly throughout the album so that, as a listener, you never know what may be around the corner. Sometimes it’s a cold bite of harsh vocals, and other times, it’s a freshly washed feeling that comes from clean, melodic passages, and the two are balanced impeccably.