LUMEN AD MORTEM is a black metal band from Australia that formed in 2019.  "Upon The Edge Of Darkness," is their full length debut; they released a demo in 2019. Considering how young this band is, "Upon The Edge Of Darkness," is an unusually strong debut.  However, that may not be apparent upon first listen-this is an album that will require many listens.  I don't mean that as "I first heard this and didn't like it but eventually I warmed up to it."  No, this album was solid from the beginning.  What I mean is there is a lot to unpack here; the album reveals itself to have a refreshing sound that covers a lot of ground and includes many elements that tie together extremely well.

The album length is around forty one minutes, which I find to be the sweet spot for many albums.  However with only six songs, all of them except one are above six minutes-plenty of time for these songs to work their magic. So what is the magic, what makes the album so special?  The atmosphere leaves a lasting impression-it is cold as a grave and grim as death.  In that sense, this is very much an album that has an old school impression.  However, the execution is definitely more modern.  Symphonics/keys are used to heighten this atmosphere.  What's really enjoyable about the keys is they are used heavily in places when needed, other times they are more subtle.  LUMEN AD MORTEM aren't using them for the hell of it but they aren't afraid to pour them on if the song calls for them, either.

Though the aggression doesn't have any issues rearing its deadly head, the album is loaded with melody.  This isn't a happy sort of melody or a catchy one like the Gothenburg style.  No, this melody compliments the riffs just to bring about their own brand of haunted musical passages. The album beings with "Infinite Resonance," and its quiet build up. The built in intro heightens the atmosphere before the slow burn of riffs make their way in.  I love how well the drums compliment the guitars while adding a ton of energy.  The pace is slower, the notes unfurling themselves as a natural extension of the instruments and those who play them.

"Within The Smoke," is a bit more vicious and faster paced, those thick grooves hitting hard in between bursts of speed. The pacing of the song does feel natural with a defined purpose of where it is going and how it will get there.  The guitar and bass don't change tempo on the song much, acting like another layer of atmosphere while the drums take on the duty of providing a more intense side of the song, "Ethereal," is filled with guitars that change from being a heavy backdrop for the atmo to actual riffs, which opens the song up for an aggressive turn of events in the last quarter of its lengthy journey.  Those melodies I spoke of earlier are permeated through the song and create a destitute yet epic and robust  sound.

"Thought And Memory," is one  hell of a song. The beginning is unbridled rage  Around the 2:47 mark, the music morphs into textured keys-a very interesting passage and respite that seemingly slides back into the later half, which is loaded with inhuman roars. That all fades out to a clever clean outro that really caps it all off. "Voices From The Stream," is immediately towering but not afraid to throw in some melody to bridge the gaps.  The halfway point is a showcase for the blackened vocals and the  tumultuous drumming, both of which mix well with the dissonant melodies that help wind the song down even as it unravels the listener's mind.

"Narrow Paths And Stony Ground," is lush from the beginning.  Snare attacks hit hard, accenting the keys like lighting strikes lighting up the world in front of you in the middle of the night.  By the time the two minute mark comes around, the music is moving in a more atmo direction with less focus on battering ram and more focus on pushing the music up and onward as it envelopes the musical landscape. All in all, LUMEN AD MORTEM have written a great black metal that immediately puts them on the map and starts them off as a force to be reckoned with in the coming years.