Finnish project Spiritwood has always occupied a peculiar place in the black metal scene. Their avant-garde approach to atmospheric black metal—richly layered with synthesizers and experimental structures—is undeniably distinctive, and as such, certainly not for everyone. Yet since its inception in 2013, the enigmatic force behind the project, Mr. Spiritwood, has quietly built an impressive body of work. With this latest offering, we arrive at the sixth full-length album, and once again, Spiritwood manages to reinvent itself in a truly intriguing way.
Musically, bold steps are taken. Boundaries are pushed, conventions are discarded, and the result is a sound that feels as unsettling as it is captivating. Still, I can’t help but be reminded of another Finnish legend: Unholy. In many ways, Spiritwood sounds like a raw, modernized incarnation of that band—especially in the spirit and style of their early works, such as From the Shadows and The Second Ring of Power. There’s a similarly oppressive atmosphere here, a melancholic weight that sits heavy on the chest—but twisted through a postmodern lens: more chaotic, more electronic, and even more unpredictable.
What truly sets Spiritwood apart is its ability to move effortlessly between sonic worlds. One moment you’re submerged in hypnotic ambient textures, the next you’re caught in a dissonant, almost industrial storm. The synthesizers are not mere decoration, but a core element of the compositional foundation—rarely is this kind of electronic integration handled so convincingly in black metal. The result is something almost cinematic, as if each track were a chapter in a dark, esoteric narrative slowly unraveling before you.
The comparison to Unholy is intended as high praise. That band was years ahead of its time, and Spiritwood seems to operate with that same uncompromising vision—unafraid to be obscure, to challenge expectations, or to lean fully into artistic abstraction. Spiritwood occupies a shadowy space somewhere between black metal, dark ambient, and avant-garde—yet never fully committing to any one form, which makes the project all the more fascinating.
The bleak, dissonant atmosphere Spiritwood conjures often feels more like a disturbing soundtrack than a collection of traditional black metal songs. There’s no verse-chorus structure to cling to here—rather, the album immerses the listener in a constantly shifting sonic landscape where atmosphere reigns supreme. Every sound, every distorted texture feels carefully placed to evoke a sense of disorientation, dread, and existential unease. This is nightmare fuel in audio form—a fever dream rendered in bleak, droning tones.
Mr. Spiritwood’s vocals only add to the unease. Drenched in effects—reverb, delay, distortion—his voice becomes something otherworldly, less a human scream than the tormented wail of a soul lost between realms. It cuts through the mix like a blunt knife through soft flesh—not with surgical precision, but with a dragging, painful pressure that leaves a lasting mark. The effect is chilling and deeply immersive, amplifying the overall sensation of being drawn into a subterranean world where time and meaning collapse.
Spiritwood’s strength lies not in catchy hooks or technical virtuosity, but in its psychological weight. This is music that creeps under your skin, slowly altering your mental state, and lingering long after the final note fades. It’s not an album to throw on casually—it’s something you submit yourself to, a kind of auditory ritual that leaves you in a trance-like haze.
Despite its overwhelmingly doom-laden pacing—rarely rising above a crawl—the album remains utterly convincing and compelling throughout. Spiritwood proves that intensity doesn’t require speed, only vision. A haunting, hallucinatory journey well worth experiencing for those brave enough to step into its shadows.
85/100
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