Coming off their first release Faded Gold in the summer of 2024, Ashenheart have been making waves in the black metal scene and are returning in full force this April with the release of their newest EP, Tales From Eternal Dusk. I got my hands on the full thing early and have some thoughts.
A lot of words were thrown around about the band’s first release—moody, atmospheric, harsh—and while all of this is true, the fact that it was their first venture into releasing music was very apparent. Yet, as with the genre, this might have also been the entire point. Reminiscent of early Mayhem, with a big push by the band to buy the release on tape, the grit and underground nature of the album added to its raw appeal.
These ideas are furthered and refined in this most recent foray into the abyss. Transforming from the original two-piece of Alex and Amanda, underground black metal staple Steve Weiner makes his debut in the band, and it’s this inclusion that really steps things up a notch. Shorter than Faded Gold, coming in at just four tracks, Tales From Eternal Dusk is an even leaner, more direct effort, stripping away excess in favour of sheer, blistering intensity.
The album opens with Empire of the Necromancers, showcasing lead singer Alex’s vocals almost from the get-go, with the guttural screams of the last album still in full effect here. Alex also took on full lyrical duties this time, wearing his influences slightly less on his sleeve, opting for more original storytelling over the Elden Ring-inspired lyrics of Faded Gold. This shift is clear from the first few lines of the opener, weaving tales of a necromancer enslaving the world. Some might call it over-the-top in the seriousness of the music, but it fits perfectly within the bounds of the genre.
The intensity continues with Apparitions of the Abyss, followed by Quest for the Secret Fire, both of which push the EP’s atmosphere and relentless energy forward.
The final track, Hymn to Silence the Light, is where the album truly hits its peak and where Alex’s vocal chops are on full display. Fast, aggressive, and unrelenting, it carries a level of grandiosity that sets it apart from the rest of the EP. There’s an undeniable theatricality in how it shifts between moods, moving seamlessly from blistering speed to darker, brooding sections, all while maintaining the band’s signature edge. It wouldn’t be out of place alongside something from Immortal, yet there’s also a hint of Therion-esque grandeur lurking beneath the surface. It’s easily the standout of the release and a fitting conclusion to the EP’s journey through darkness and decay.
With Tales From Eternal Dusk, Ashenheart have tightened their sound and sharpened their approach, delivering an EP that feels both raw and refined. The underground aesthetic remains, but there’s a confidence here that suggests the band is only getting started. For fans of the genre, this is one to keep an eye on when it drops in April.
The EP is being released through the label “Fiadh Productions” and Tapes are available on Bandcamp from them here
Keep up to date with the band and all things merch, tours and new music https://linktr.ee/ashenheart
