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Vallendusk falls under the atmospheric black metal label, and while the subgenre can be stagnant at times, I always come back to it. Perhaps it’s the continued pursuit of seeing the subgenre change and evolve into something that pushes the limits of the subgenre. Perhaps it’s the continued assessment of what the subgenre should sound like with all the bells and whistles black metal has come to enjoy.
The same elements that I enjoyed from their debut album Black Clouds Gathering come back in Homeward Path: the cohesiveness, the atmospheric black metal sound that seems to overwhelm you, the touches of folk into the music that makes you want to get up and dance. However, there is a melodic nature to the music that makes it different from its predecessor. It remains true to the atmospheric black metal aesthetic of taking the listener elsewhere, but it also keeps them grounded with the melodies the music evokes. The music is so well-done that you immediately don’t want it to end.
There is a warmth and a vitality to this album that you couldn’t find in most black metal albums. In most cases, black metal tends to sound cold and unapproachable, as if the concept of being otherworldly is so abstract that the casual listener wouldn’t understand it. However, Homeward Path makes the music incredibly approachable, as you find that the music is soothing rather than punishing. It wants to take you by the hand and guide you towards the familiar and the comfortable so you are not scared. It comforts the listener, reminding them that black metal doesn’t always have to be cold.
What I also love about Homeward Path is that it may be even better than Black Clouds Gathering. While they are both epic in scheme and in length, Homeward Path just sounds stronger and more well-put together. It sounds like the band took all the elements that made Black Clouds Gathering successful, refined it, added more backing instruments, and let their ideas run. It completely skips the second album curse, as it sounds so much better than its predecessor. The album is lengthy, but never pretentious. It is also more dynamic in concept and its energy never wanes, even in the most tedious of passages. There are no boring moments in Homeward Path, and that is a victory on its own.
In short, Homeward Path is comforting atmospheric black metal filled with melodies and a cohesiveness that rivals its predecessor. The sheer beauty of the music is a religious experience, fully cementing the idea of an established sound. I am now completely sold on Vallendusk, and I have a feeling they will become a classic pick in atmospheric black metal. After all, given how great their music is, I have no doubt in my mind that we will see more of them in the future.
