MORRIGAN is a Black Metal band formed at the turn of the century from Germany. "Anwynn" is the band's eighth full-length album, and their first in close to ten years. The album contains nine tracks. "Anwynn (Intro)" leads off the album. It begins with some cold winds, wolf howls, and clean guitars. The subject shuffles his feet slowly to and fro. "Herald of the Sleep" opens with a slow and hopeless grind, with somewhat muted production. Vocals are clean at first, but a bit pitchy. It sounds more like Doom Metal than Black Metal to me, but that is neither here nor there. It picks up in pace after the half-way mark, with solemn vocal moans.

"White as Snow" opens with some simulated flute notes and heavy drum strikes. The air is tense. The vocals are harsh this time, with utter desolation in the background. The clean vocals add to the atmosphere but are again a little pitchy. "Blind Witch" is a shorter and more intense and angry song. Deadly Black Metal vocals go high in the registry, and the guitars create a wall of sound that is blasphemous. "Feoladaire" opens with a slow and lumbering pace of clean guitars and drums. The vocals seem to come from a massive creature in a nearby cave and fill the air around you. The cleans again add some texture to the massively depressing sound.

"Taech Duinn" begins with some ambient background elements that are symphonic in nature. The sound picks up with heavy and punishing tones. Harsh vocals follow clean ones, in a devastatingly gut-wrenching sound with a lot of power. "Rome" begins with clean guitars and some majestic sounding leads. Harsh vocals enter and wash the song with dirt. Charming but depressing tones take the song from there. "Ivy" begins with heavier tones and some very low bass notes. Bells strike out. Clean vocals usher in some despondent melodies. If the cleans weren't so pitchy, this album would really be a winner.

"Arawn (Outro)" closes the album. It's a mood-departing instrumental, that features light keyboard work and some depressing melodies, and it the perfect ending to a wonderful album. The album featured many different elements besides just Black Metal. Doom Metal, and even some Post-Metal were present. Take a look at the album cover to set the mood. Ominous mountains rise with the sun climbing to your face. But the sun fails to rise clearly due to the beast in the background that sends forth blackness and sickness to cover the lands. The fairly tale land never materializes, but the land of the beast reigns.