Having made a good impression right from the outset, this year sees Swedish WORMLIGHT return with their sophomore full-length album, "Nightmother". Spanning almost an hour in length, "Nightmother" is a vast and varied soundscape, which forges together a slew of different influences, all overlaid with a shroud of blackness.

We start off with the eponymous "Nightmother" in which a militant drumbeat marches over distorted guitars, whist symphonic sections add a soaring grandeur to the song. Tempo changes and subtle twists in melody give the song a swirling, tempestuous air whilst keening guitars enhance it with a mournful feel. The soundscape completely changes on songs such as "Blood, Wine and Spirits", in which a slower and more melancholic melody ebbs and flows, with icy vocals giving it that frostbitten edge, whilst Death Metal influences add texture to the song. Perhaps my favourite song of the album, "Fateweaver", also falls into this category, with an ethereal opening that morphs into a swirling whirlwind of Blackened Death which is as spellbinding as it is pummelling. This is in stark contrast to songs like "Hounds of Apophrades", which are unadulterated Black Metal through and through, albeit with some dreamier sections thrown in. Changes in pace, style, and atmosphere seem to be the golden standard of the album, melding influences from a variety of different genres. Frenetic drumming curtesy of King Antichrist give the songs a furious biting tempo, cascading around you like a maelstrom of razors, whilst tremolo picked riffs augment the songs with an electrifying atmosphere. What I also really appreciate about this album is the range of the vocals. Tiamat Invictuz really uses his voice well to weave depth and atmosphere into the soundscapes, from piercing screams to gravelly rasps. Finally, we have a chunky bass which is neither absent nor too prominent, giving the music a strong backbone. Here, only "The Whispering Night" stands out as being more straight-forward, and less varied. This follows the Black Metal formulas we've heard countless times before, making it seem somewhat lacklustre in comparison to the more diverse songs. Having said that, "The Deadlight Descent" seems to drag slightly. This is somewhat made up for by closer "By Empty Cradles", but it still feels like the end of the album could have done with a bit more of a punch.

Overall, "Nightmother" is a well-produced and multifaceted album that is full of intricacies throughout, despite its length. That being said, don't expect WORMLIGHT to reinvent the genre with this release. There are sections on here that would not be out of place on a BEHEMOTH or even DIMMU BORGIR album, whilst other parts are more reminiscent of bands like NOCTEM, and others yet harken back to the days of DARK FUNERAL. However, this is not in the least to say that WORMLIGHT are not worth checking out. They've taken many of the strengths of various Black Metal subgenres, and amalgamated them into an enjoyable listen. In short: If you're looking for some decent Black Metal that has a strong Melodic backbone without sacrificing its vicious bite to its beauty, look no further than "Nightmother".