Many debut’s find it difficult to balance rawness and full-on identity. The fall of the seven sisters does not—instead, it comes fully bloomed, an avowed and assertive statement by Dunes of the Ash. The album is presented by the group as “the eruption of the Primordial Antagonist… an anti-litany that decrees the corruption of the Seven Sisters” and the music realizes the vision.
This is black metal according to the 90’s orthodox hypothesis: tremolo riffs, blast beats, and cursed-sounding vocals.But rage alone is not occurring here. Each song is a new chapter of blasphemy, switching between remorseless attack and atmospheric sections. The album is ritualistic in its flow—a rising sequence that draws the listener deeper into the storm.
The production is raw enough to remain faithful to the feeling of the underground, but never quite dissonant enough that it overwhelms detail. Guitars slice with razor sharp accuracy, drums are thundering and vocals pierce the mix with harsh bite. It’s equalized: rough, but accurate.
The band’s lyrics define the album as “an abyss wherein your faith is pulverized,” and that climate of pure negation can be heard throughout the album. There is no comfort to be found here, no light to be seen. Rather, the album repeats the motifs it announces—malignant, ritualistic, immovable.
For a debut release, that is both vision and execution stunning. The fall of the seven sisters doesn’t merely pay homage to the classics—it manages to feel like an extension of that. Dunes of Ash has high standards to live up to now. I am already eager to see how they continue to grow, and believe they have the potential to be a major player in this genre very quickly.
8/10
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