Indeed, it has only just begun ... Sorrow Plagues as an ongoing depressive ambient BM project, that is, with this debut recording. On the strength of what I hear on this EP, I also hope that Sorrow Plagues will never end ... well at least not for a few years, for this is very expressive music combining elements of shimmery shoegaze and post-metal with an anguished outlook on life and existence, and this alone deserves considerable time to develop into something quite complex and definitely major. SP's sound has a sharp edge and a rich, bright tone, and that alone suggests depth and a mood hard to describe but definitely very melancholy and in need of hope and cheer. Maybe SP man David Lovejoy is not yet up to matching his project's sound in his current level of songwriting chops (the music does tend to be repetitive) but we should give him the opportunity to come good.

"Born into Darkness" is a brief dreamy acoustic intro to get listeners in the right relaxed mood for what is to follow. "Deceit" develops out of the dark womb background with clouds of shimmery tremolo guitar distortion wrapped around a soft beat and a harsh ghost vocal that seems to be burning in hell. The song segues into "Drown in Silence" with very little change apart from heightened emotion and a warmer background sound that gives the music an epic and overwhelming feel, clearly intended to be immersive. These tracks appear to be a mini-trilogy as there are no breaks in the music and the basic structure does not change.

"Eternal Confinement" is a more varied and sturdy track with slighter stronger (if still wishy-washy drumming) and more clearly defined riffs. There's still a lot of repetition in the guitar-dominated sections but the track now alternates between noisier and quieter, more acoustic-sounding parts. Some of the music, especially the quiet music, is very beautiful in a sorrowing, lamenting way.

While this EP is no great advance in depressive ambient BM, and the project needs more originality in song composition, the project does show potential to evolve into something rich, majestic and neoclassical in style. SP would benefit from having more live instruments as part of its set-up - piano is a good start, and maybe flute or violin would suit the music as well. The vocals need some work as well, as submerged harsh vocal that barely separates from the guitar distortion can only go so far. In all, "It will never end" is a modest start to what may be a project that I hope will never end ...

Sorrow Plagues is a recent ambient BM project of sole member David Lovejoy, guitarist for hardcore melodic rock band Callista. Chortle all you like that a depressive BM project that explores emptiness and sorrow should be helmed by someone whose surname is Lovejoy. Once you're over that, consider that since forming in 2014, Sorrow Plagues has already notched up two singles and three mini-album EPs and you'll realise Lovejoy's solo act is serious about its intentions.

Its piano introduction may be very pretty but "Corroding Soul" is as downbeat and bleak as mournful depressive BM gets: the blurry guitar chords rain down heavily, the percussion bangs away hard but in a manner suggesting apathy, and an air of deep melancholy and unhappiness hangs overhead. Piano and lead guitar duel for dominance but within the general atmosphere of hopelessness. Vocals are so harsh and fuzzy that they are hard to distinguish from the acid guitar shower. The general ambience is bleak and instruments are shrouded in a layer of echo that coats them with a feeling of decay and decadence.

The rest of the EP is very similar in sound and mood - the pace can be slow, allowing for swelling melody and drama to develop, and grand piano goes head to head with the rest of the music in delineating a bleak, depressed world bereft of hope and optimism. Even where there is blastbeat drumming and furious scrabbling on the strings, some part of the music is quite laidback. Lead guitar, where it appears, is as sharp and crisp as can be against a fuzzy background, and its aching tones and melodies underline the EP's moods.

On the whole, this is a good EP with definite atmosphere and a strong melodic style that combines aspects of post-rock with ambient BM. Catchy melodies are present on all tracks and surely it's only a matter of time before a label picks up Sorrow Plagues and re-releases or repackages the early recordings. The sound palette is not very distinctive though and could do with some live instrumentation in parts that adds sharpness to the atmosphere.

While the release seems to be pitched at an alternative mainstream audience, for me the really outstanding track here is the short instrumental "The Depths of Emptiness", a relatively unstructured piece: the bleakest and most pained music is featured. It's the real jewel on a short album that otherwise is consistent and good without being really exceptional.

With so many black metal bands pushing listeners to the brink of despair with their music, this self-titled record from Sorrow Plagues came as a nice change from the pitch-black aura that surrounds much of the black metal scene. While it is absolutely in the same genre, it has a different vibe altogether from other acts such as Xasthur and Woods of Desolation (to name a couple), and while all of the usual black metal characteristics are there it is actually a fairly uplifting album. The walls of sound here are filled with an undeniable warmth to them, unlike the stereotypical coldness that has become expected from the genre. Lets take a look at why 'Sorrow Plagues' is a refreshing surprise in today's BM scene...

Opening track 'Fade' wastes no time in kicking things off, and what is immediately striking about the production is how immaculate it is. A breathtaking mixture of blastbeats and glorious strings wash over the listener, and it is immediately clear that this will be the major tone of the album. Rich with emotion and certainly uplifting, the melodies here are on a much grander scale than the previous releases by Sorrow Plagues. The mixture of dynamics here is top notch as well, with 'Aspirations' slowly building from an eerie, tranquil start and some nice use of distant drums setting the scene for what it coming. When it finally does kick in it is more of the same 'wall' of noise that is heard from much of the album, and although repetitive it sticks to the formula nicely.

Perhaps it was a wise choice to keep the track lengths at an average of around 4-7 minutes, as it keeps the listener interested. Each song contains more of the same ingredients, but by keeping each one at a reasonable length it never risks becoming monotonous and bland. Quality not quantity has never been more true in this case! The piano segments here are extremely moving too, and each song invokes feelings of hope and a longing for the past. Whether it was deliberate or not, I have personally found most of Sorrow Plagues' releases to make me feel more connected to nature. The best way I can explain this is by the poignancy of the melodies, with gentle moments that are best listened to when sat outside alone with the elements. The more aggressive aspects of the music are almost purifying for the soul, showcasing David Lovejoy's talent for atmosphere. Feelings of sadness, insignificance in the world, and finally and most importantly, the eventual realisation that we are all products of the earth and the liberation of being able to find joy in solitude amongst the beauty of nature. 'Twilight' is the albums strongest track as it contains everything that makes Sorrow Plagues the unique, organic black metal act that it is.

This is certainly a step above any of the bands past releases, and songwriter David Lovejoy has obviously honed his craft to exactly the way he wants it as you can't really compare this to anything else, which is a very good sign. While I loved 'An Eternity In Solitude' it lacked the originality that can be heard on this record. While the emotions of nostalgia and longing, and above all a connection with nature have always seemed to be underlying tones on all of Sorrow Plagues past releases, it has finally all come together in a gorgeous wall of sound, taking all the best elements from past efforts and combining them. I look forward to the next release as this self-titled gem of an album is proof that Sorrow Plagues have mastered their songwriting.

Bring on the next one!

Atmospheric black metal is a super hit or miss genre. Either is it layered with too many nature samples and the production drowns out all the instruments in layers of sound, or its just fucking perfect. This is an example of it being such a wonderful piece of art. It really focuses on song writing ability instead of just making back ground music like most atmospheric black metal tends to do. It seemed this one man band had the right idea in mind when he decided to make this type of music, and I envy him for having this ability. He took symphonic elements into the mix which really adds to the very uplifting atmosphere of the music. It is very peaceful sounding which I love.

The guitars on this album sound absolutely beautiful. They take so much post rock influence into the already great mixture of genres going on here. Which the post rock guitar sections just really make this very memorable. At some points they layer very pleasing harmonies in the songs. Which really adds to the beautiful atmosphere of the album. It also really manages to have some technical parts in the songs mixed in with the harmonies which really shows a great ability of musician ship. Further on in the record you will hear a lot more post rock influence. During the song "Isolated" you even hear a guitar solo that just screams post rock to you. I really love that addition to the album. It just goes to show how much diversity there is in this album.

The drums on the record are super prominent throughout. The mix on these drums sound so damn good and really stand out in the album in a good way of course. The obvious tempo changes throughout the song really adds to the atmosphere, managing to go from slow to fast very nicely and smoothly. The transitions overall just sound amazing. The also add quite a bit of drum fills in the mix which manages to keep my attention. He seems to really know when it is appropriate to use the drums overall in the album. There are some sections where the drums are very quite and doing a simple beat and others where he just goes all out and really shows his ability. It is just overall a really great feature to the album and I enjoy how much it fits into the music.

The symphonic elements are very out going in the album. You can really hear it throughout the album and it sounds great. They use those elements very sparingly and wisely. I find that the symphonic elements to be just as important to the album as the guitars and it just would not be the same without them. They really add to the atmosphere overall in the songs and add a great back ground atmosphere that just makes the listener feel at peace with themselves. I like how the volume of the instruments used really change quite a bit based on how much slower the album goes and such. It adds a great touch.

The vocals on the album are great to say the least. I find them to be very blended in to the mix and it reminds me of "Sunbather" by Deafheaven when it comes to how the vocals are mixed. They are more mid based and remind me of Saor quite a bit. They really are just blended in so well I see them more as an instrument instead of vocals. I find that the vocals seem to mostly be just a thing that happens only half the time in the songs which is really good. I like that it is way more focused on the instruments than the vocals. I know its kind of obvious that the music is more important but some people fail to realize that due to vocal fetishes.

In conclusion, this album is the best black metal album of the year I have heard so far. A wonderful mix of black metal and post rock with symphonic elements. It really creates a beautiful atmosphere for the listener and I find it to be so important. It is very uplifting throughout the album and really brings the listener a peace of mind and just sounds so beautiful. I highly recommend for fans of post black metal and atmospheric black metal fans, it is one of the best I have heard in a long time.

It’s pretty usual in the black metal scene to release a split album among different bands in order to release new songs and gain some attention, while they can share the cost of cd producing. I must admit that I am not such a fan of those releases, but sometimes the quality of the involved bands makes the listen a must. 'Mater Natura Excelsa' is in fact one of those cases as the bands involved, no less than four, are top-notch in the atmospheric black metal scene. Elderwind is a Russian band which plays a beautiful atmospheric black metal, its debut album 'The Magic of Nature', is a gem which became a classic release for the fans of the genre. Slightly similar to this band but with a notorious influence from the Swedish band Lustre is the project Dreams of Nature, which has carved a cult status thanks to some great releases. The other two bands are more post-black metal oriented but still they share many musical characteristics with the former two. Sorrow Plagues comes from the UK and has released two excellent albums, while De la Nostalgie (from Venezuela!) released in 2017 an impressive debut, which it is perhaps more focused on ambient black metal.

Taking into account the aforementioned characteristics of the involved bands, it was clear that this split should be a fine collection of long compositions with an intense atmospheric touch, and believe me, it is. Every band delivers what we could expect from them. Stylistically they don´t go too far from what they have offered in their own full lengths. Each band has composed two songs and the album has a length of almost 80 minutes, so don´t expect short tracks, lasting the shortest of them no less than 6 minutes. Sorrow Plagues starts the split with two excellent tracks: “Vista” is a song which sums up all the characteristics which define the trademark sound of the British project. Fast paced tracks enriched by slowest sections where simply yet beautiful melodies, played by keys or acoustic-esque guitars, have a major role. One of the most relevant aspects of this band is how good the guitar solos are, they truly shine, especially in a genre where are not so common. De la Nostalgie also loves to create long compositions and the two tracks on this split are not an exception, clocking both of them around 11-12 minutes. Being the tracks that long there is room to compose quite rich songs with great atmospheric introductions and De la Nostalgie truly knows how to build a song which catches our attention. “Insomnia” for example, is a slower track if we compare it to what Sorrow Plagues has offered to us. It’s a long mid-paced song with catchy keys, which make the song sound intense yet emotional.

As it happens in this genre, one of the things I really enjoy are those breaks, when the band focus on purely ambient sections, where the talent of this guys truly shines. The return of the guitars and of screams, which break the peaceful section, is also great, as it makes this heavier section sound, and for some reason, even better. In a similar way to its magnificent debut, the Russian Elderwind delivers two great tracks, “Temple” and “Fires of Autumn”. Little folk touches are mixed with absorbing keys in a mainly mid-paced song. Guitars sound a little bit “doomish” to me, which increases the melancholy of the track. The fast sections feature guitars which sound a little bit more post metal influenced, which fits perfectly well those speedier parts. As it happened in the debut both tracks sound beautiful with an ethereal touch. The honour to close this great split falls on Dreams of Nature. As I have already mentioned this band has a great Lustre influence, though it manages to forge its own distinctive sound. Dreams of Nature creates minimalistic and slower paced tracks which have an unique sense of beauty and melancholy. Anyway, a track like “Infinity”, for example, is far from being monorithmic, having occasional faster sections which make the song sound a little bit rawer. The closing track, “When the Leaves Fall”, is 100% Dreams of Nature, that is a hypnotic pace and minimalistic keys which sound simple awesome.

In conclusion, these great bands have released a long yet brilliant split album, which is undoubtedly a must for every atmospheric black metal fan. Expect no less than tons of ethereal and majestic keys, which will make the listener have a mystic travel through the forest.

Originally written for "www.thepitofthedamned.blogspot.com."