From Bandcamp, “ISENORDAL are different. Not fitting easily into the given stylistic drawers can often turn out to be both a blessing and a curse for a metal band. The six-piece from Seattle, WA in the United States is particularly hard to pin down. If push comes to shove, they could be described as a funeral doom act, although this hardly does their wide musical range justice. There are also notable influences of black metal, especially the harsh vocals but also the occasional vicious outbreaks of blizzard-riffs. Then again, the metal elements are diligently balanced by beautiful acoustic passages of American neofolk. On their third full-length, "Requiem for Eirênê," ISENORDAL have driven the interplay and cohesion of their musical core elements to a new level. The epic, meandering, and multi-faceted songs on this album each tell a dramatic story.”

Five lengthy songs await the listener. “A Moment Approaches Eternity” is the first cut. The stark combination of filthy, guttural vocals butted up against the positive tones of the music is a real juxtaposition. The clean female vocals offer a counterpoint to the blackness of the harsh vocals, and the mid-section offers a temporary reprieve from all of the hurt, and the crescendo that follows is easy to get swept away in. “Await Me, Ultima Thule” has a very tender opening, almost the way you feel after waking up from a good night’s sleep. As you begin your day however, you can’t shake the feeling of being sad for some reason, but you can’t put your finger on why. Piano notes keep the tension present, although it does ease a bit as the song continues.

The title track is the shortest on the album. It’s another charmer, but with darker tones at times. The piano and strings are so simple but the message is so heavy and emotional. “Epiphanies of Abhorrence and Futility” is as awful as it sounds. The gutturals reverberate like a waking monster in a deep cave, and the music is more aggressive. There is little to be positive about in this song. It’s like a wolf who has caught your scent. Rounding the half-way mark, the sound grows darker and more threatening, and the vocals rise up like a coiled snake, lashing out with a meaty bite. “Saturnine Apotheosis” is the closer. It’s as if the perfect storm is brewing, and it reminds me of the scene in Titanic where the hired musicians continue to play music while the passengers scream out in panic.

This album was quite moving, and I found it to be cohesive, even though many of the elements were competing with one another. I also found it shrouded in mystery, and deeper meanings with each new listen. This is one that the listeners will remember, as it etched into their very memories.