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Oh, boy, where do I begin with this one?
Right off the bat, don’t be fooled by the way the album cover and the first track look and sound like. It might be a set-up for something atmospheric and cosmic that sounds like the myriad of atmospheric black metal without substance, but the track “Circle of Torment” jumps straight into what I like to call Woods of Ypres territory. While Woods of Ypres was highly atmospheric and sad, “Circle of Torment” takes that essence and dials it back a bit, emphasizing the bite of atmospheric black metal and letting it assault you throughout its run. Granted, there are moments of reprieve – there is a soft yet tonal reverb – but the music remains constant throughout the track, a testament to Soul Dissolution’s sonic aesthetic and their preference for long, repetitive passages of music that hold the listener’s attention. There are a lot of sonic references to Woods of Ypres; in fact, some of the guitar parts sound a little similar. However, they are able to add their own flair to it, as it lacks the deep, guttural sadness that was prevalent in Woods of Ypres.
Despite this, there is something highly emotive about the way everything is set up. Everything, from the musical structure to the actual layering of the music and vocals, is constructed to maximize the emotions behind it. There is awe, wonder, and confusion all rolled into a spectacular cohesion that you can’t shake off. You can only sit there in bewilderment and splendor as the album plays, as you hear footsteps walking through the woods, as you wonder where else Stardust will take you. As you come to that thought, Stardust takes a sharp right turn and begins to show you a more playful side to its music – if you can call anything atmospheric playful – one where you are allowed to bask in the guitars’ warm notes and the contrast between what sounds like the keyboards and the vocals that echo throughout the album.
Unlike most atmospheric black metal I am acquainted with, where either vocals or the instruments add to the atmosphere of the music, neither of those are actually what creates the atmosphere. Something about the presence of the album’s aesthetic and its triumphant mix of emotions and catharsis really speaks to the listener. There is something wonderfully bizarre that is worth paying attention to, something that hides underneath the orchestrations, the emotions, and the harsh vocals that reverbs through the music. Perhaps that is the key to Stardust: a bizarre feeling that cannot be explained and needs to be explored via this album as a medium.
All in all, Stardust is an album that takes everything atmospheric black metal stands for and throws it out the window, melding aesthetics together that creates substance and memorable music that stands with you until the end of its run. I will definitely come back to this album at a later time. However, in the meantime, I can only say good things about it. In the crossroads of bewilderment and aesthetic, Stardust exists, filling a void that I don’t think anyone saw until this moment.