SOMBERWIND are a gothic rock band formed in late 2018 by MARCO CUSATO former member of FALLACY and CATERINA NIX, who had her own band, CATERINA NIX & CAOS MAGIC in their home country of Chile in South America. They came together originally for just a collaboration between the two of them at first however after a long period of time had passed, both musicians soon realised that their music could be the start of something special. So they began their search for like-minded musicians and once this search had concluded, they went into the studio in 2019 to record their first album, which was released in April earlier this year, titled REMAIN.

The album begins with "Pyre" which is a brief intro to the bands classical and ambient style defining the gothic rock as their sound which can be compared to other bands like WITHIN TEMPTATION, NIGHTWISH or ANATHEMA. The next track which is "Emptiness" also happens to be the first single that was released from this album in November 2020. The second track of this album starts with a piano motif which is beautifully played to the accompaniment of eclectic guitar, drums and vocal harmonies dominating throughout.

"Under The Rain" stands out for the classical influences once more with piano carrying the melody with those heavy guitar rhythms. Also the combination of two vocal lines as there is male and female vocals is well balanced, complimenting each other which deserves a lot of credit. "The Spell" opens to the synthetic gestures that are clearly evident in this track together with warped drum excerpts. In addition the sustained guitar blends well with the two vocal lines with a focus on the rhythm in what is also the longest track clocking in at 7 minutes.

"Sad-Revenge" I feel can be highlighted for the keyboard sound specifically and guitar riffs echoing on in this track which is more uplifting, perhaps less of a sombre feel to it. There is even a section where there is no vocals but the work between the guitar, keyboard and drums is absolutely stunning to listen to. "Coven" has the same tone from the previous track yet the difference here is the guitar is split into two separate lines perhaps done in the studio. Nevertheless the balance here as well is absolutely spot on as far as I am concerned.

"What Tomorrow Brings" is more of a sombre track compared to the previous songs where there is a slower tempo led by the sound of sustained guitar and piano leading the narrative as far as the melody goes. "Hard To Believe" is going back to the main influence of this band which is the classical element with piano and female vocals giving this track a more softer and gentle touch, which I really enjoyed. "You Don't Belong Here" which is the last track on this album presents the two vocal lines, soloistic guitar and the emphasis on the lyrical content predominantly.

This is a wonderful album from the Chilean musicians and this is only the second time that I have come across a band from South America. No doubt that I will keep my eyes on these guys, I always enjoy hearing the addition of female vocals, especially where there is actually no bass guitar in the mix. In terms of the production of this album, I would say that the classical elements are well established and the balance between all the instruments is very well mixed together. I look forward to hearing more and hope that this band has more to offer in the coming year or so!