Reviewed by Gareth Hills

This is a split album from UK death/doom/gothic bands My Silent Wake fronted by Ian Arkley (best known for his work with Seventh Angel) and Cardiff's The Drowning. The CD opens with My Silent Wake and a lone marching snare, sounding as if it could be reverberating around some vast forgotten cathedral, in the chill gloaming of a remote forest, and this sets the tone for what is to come. The heavy dirge of "I Am (Eternity)", which seems to be a simple, yet powerful, exploration the nature of God, gives way to "Bleak Endless Winter". Following is "Devoid Of Light" - a particular standout track for me, featuring inventive use of percussion and mandolin, which also put me in mind of folk doom stalwarts Agalloch. However, nothing quite prepared me for the sheer epic that was the superb 23 minute "Rebirth" with The Drowning taking over musical proceedings. They present a much edgier brand of doom, evidenced almost immediately by frontman Jason Moore's harsh growl, and the distorted wall of guitars which lifts the first track out of its dark intro (which features an inventive sample of what sounds like a Sufi chant). While the Drowning's half is superb - the track "Arc Light" in particular - and certainly much heavier than My Silent Wake's, I didn't honestly find them quite as inventive. Fans of death doom will undoubtedly be delighted however. The album is incredibly dark and raw, but for those who can handle it, Black Lights & Silent Roads is a silent road worth treading.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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