Sunholy

Six years since the release of their critically acclaimed ode to hatred, Poetry Of The Ill- Minded, Finnish symphonic black metal icons Shade Empire unleash their latest anthological masterwork in the form of Sunholy. A portmanteau between the twin concepts of ‘sun’ and ‘unholy’, it is clear from the outset that Shade Empire are seeking to dissect the duality of light and dark, good and evil, sacred and heretical.

 Featuring nine tracks of utterly annihilating power, Sunholy follows Shade Empire’s established tradition of dispensing thought-provoking thematic content alongside unparalleled brutality. The album’s three single offerings premeditate this.

Opening track, ‘In Amongst The Woods’, immediately rages through the listener’s skull, offering little solace between its melodic vocals and callous screaming. Title track, ‘Sunholy’, displays the group’s trademark unrelenting force of symphonic black metal, and finally ‘Torn Asunder’ underscores Shade Empire’s ability to seamlessly transition between dichotomous elements of melody and earth-scorching metallic impact.

For fans of Children Of Bodom, Wolfheart, Dimmu Borgir, In Flames.