Exclusive Track Premiere: Ethereal Darkness – “The Cycle”
Do you like any kind of metal? This genre-melding track by Belgian band Ethereal Darkness has you covered.
Ethereal Darkness released their debut in 2019 to fairly wide acclaim for an independent, new band (they’ve got a lot of squares on Bandcamp, at least). That album, Smoke and Shadows, is an excellent showcase of raw talent and songwriting skills, and for sure would have ended up on my “I should watch these guys” list if I had come across it earlier. Behold, 5 years later, and with the god Dan Swanö on their side for mixing and mastering, that rawness has been polished into excellence.
“The Cycle” hits you first with a slow dirge that explodes into their brand of sorrowful melodic black metal. The clean vocals that come next are a bit of a jump-scare after the classic screeching you’re used to, but they suit the doomy aspects of the song well. The melodic guitar work is particularly interesting, with everything surrounding it doing its blackened best, it sounds like it would be more at home in a melodeath track. There’s a nice little galloping section in the middle, and after a false ending, the final three minutes deliver the heaviest stuff. It returns to a variation of that opening melody that enhances it without feeling repetitive, which I’m a huge fan of. It’s a long track, but the cathartic ending is worth the wait.
Here’s what the band says about the song:
“The Cycle explores the eternal rhythm of life – how we navigate through waves of loss and joy, death and birth. It’s a reflection on how meaningless yet profound our existence becomes when viewed through time’s vast lens. The song embodies what we do best: powerful compositions wrapped in haunting melodies that embrace a hopeful melancholy. It perfectly sets the stage for what listeners can expect from our upcoming album, Echoes.”
The album doesn’t have a release date yet, but give them a follow over on Bandcamp to keep in touch.
And here’s a sneak peek at the track list:
1. Gone With The Tide – 10:51
2. The Cycle – 9:42
3. Winter – 7:49
4. IV – 9:45
5. On The Edge Of The Cliff – 8:48
6. Realization – 13:21
