Since the beginning, when instrumentals were simple and things were done as one would be fumbling in the dark to find a way, Black Metal and Black Metal shared some common features, and soon the mix between them appeared. But as both genres evolved separately, of course that Death/Black Metal would earn new outfits, and as a depiction of such words, “Wastelands” is here to present STELLAR REMAINS to the public. Brendan Auld worked as producer and did the mixing and sound engineering as well, and the mastering was done by Simón da Silva. The main idea was to give to the album an old fashioned and dirty outfit on extreme Metal ways, but that could take and different and atmospheric influences into the album. So the sonority is brutal and crushing, but understandable as well. And it’s a very good work of Jon Weber for the cover.

It’s not hard to understand what is displayed on the songs of “Wastelands”: an Atmospheric Death/Black Metal form of music, full of an Old School feeling, but plenty of landscaping instrumental arrangements. It’s not hard to check that Progressive Death Metal influences are into the mix, and that the songs have shifts from aggressive parts to landscaping moments, so it’s a very good release to deal with. There are two instrumental intros on “Watelands” (“Ceaseless Charade of the Living Dead”, that has a more aggressive outfit, and “The Invisible Man”, a song with a more introspective and melancholic appeal), so “Obsolescence”, “Weeping on the Shoulder of a Memory” (very good melodic guitar leads and clean vocals), “Wastelands” and “Cloudbearer” are the ones who depicts better the Atmospheric Death/Black Metal ‘core” of this one man band. They’re full of contrasts between aggressive moments to atmospheric and landscaping parts, with very good and solid instrumental sheath and grunts into a traditional Swedish Death Metal way (besides this band comes from Australia).

This EP fulfills its goal: to present STELLAR REMAINS to the world. But “Wastelands” seems to be just the tip of the iceberg, so let’s see what future will bring.