Epoch of Unlight Unleashes Frosty, Long-Dormant Melodic Blackened Death Metal on "Wrath of the Cryomancer" (Lyric Video)

It has been 17 years since Tennessee’s Epoch of Unlight last released an album. Like most everything else, their chosen niche of melodic death and black metal has drastically changed in this time period, but you wouldn’t know it listening to At War with the Multiverse, their triumphant long-form return. Sidestepping the ‘arms race’ that has led to significantly overwrought releases in recent years, complex melodic riffs sit at the forefront of the album, without unnecessary layers taking away from the delightful interplay between guitars, drums, and growls. There’s a clear focus on catchiness here, but it’s a catchiness that draws from the band’s intensity rather than subtracting from it.

Writing good melodic death metal requires a careful balance of ‘melodic’ and ‘death’, and Epoch of Unlight finds that balance with ease: this isn’t power metal with growls, and neither is it cookie-cutter death metal with some lazy chord progressions and blast beats tacked on. Perhaps part of that balance is understanding the importance of fun in extreme metal – there’s a reason why so many classic melodic death metal albums put a smile on listeners’ faces. At War with the Multiverse is fun, just as much as it is a vehicle of lethal momentum, and the clever, invigorating riffs on new single “Wrath of the Cryomancer” are a testament to this sublime combination.

Watch the lyric video below:

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At War with the Multiverse releases September 16th via Dark Horizon Records.