From Bled, Slovenia, comes the Atmospheric Black Metal band VELDES. Veldes is an archaic word from medieval times for Slovenian vastness of Bled landscapes beneath the forests and mountains of the Eastern Alps. "Flameless" is the band's fourth release and contains five tracks.

"If Horizons Bled Out" is a short piano mood-setting piece. Angelic choir voices in the background segue into the might and power of "Keeper of the Flamelss." That pretty little piano comes back into play briefly before anguished screams fill the void. The main riff is earnest and endearing. The two styles work very well together in what is a very beautiful song overall. "Lore of Forgotten Despair" opens with ambient background music that reminds me of a Celtic song. Lead guitar notes come in an give the track some fuel, anointing it with the power of beauty. The drawn-out screams are there to remind you of the forgotten despair, in an otherwise hopeful but at times despondent sound. The push and pull between the light and the darkness is noteworthy.

"The Breeze among Felled Trees" is a jovial keyboard song with alluring charm. It moves slowly like a soft breeze, coating you with warmth, and moving you to dreams of lush forests with hues of green. "The Light that was Never Meant to be" is a twelve minute closer. It opens with a mid-tempo groove and a regal sound in the guitar progressions. Following some raging screams, a passage of pure beauty enters, wiping away all of your fears and insecurities and filling your heart with hope. But the hope soon fades with a melancholy solemnness that makes your heart ache. It morphs a bit towards the end with a choppy riff, gathering steam towards the finish line, ending with soft piano notes.

How can Black Metal be so powerful and so pretty at the same time? Ask VELDES. Tilen has taken every precaution to present the dichotomy of these two things in full view. It will open up your world and draw you in like a tractor beam, pulling and hugging you tightly, with raging screams and beautiful instrumental passages. Slovenia must be a gorgeous place, because it is reflected perfectly in this album.