With Sorrow Befell, Ringarë offers a haunting reissue of their 2020 demo, an experience that bridges the spectral realms of atmospheric black metal and ambient introspection. The album opens with a quartet of tracks steeped in old-school melodic sensibilities, where icy riffs and dungeon synth textures coalesce into a soundscape that feels both ancient and vividly cinematic. The production is intentionally lo-fi, yet never murky — each layer is discernible, allowing the listener to traverse the emotional terrain with clarity and immersion.
Musically, Ringarë leans into the Cascadian tradition, favouring mid-tempo pacing and expansive melodic phrasing. The guitar work is understated but evocative, often serving as a canvas for the synths to paint their mournful hues. Likpredikaren’s vocals, raw and scratch-laden, act less as a narrative device and more as a spectral presence — a voice from beyond, echoing through the mist. The interplay between aggression and atmosphere is finely tuned, reminiscent at times of Lustre’s ethereal approach, though Ringarë maintains a firmer grip on black metal’s visceral roots.
The emotional resonance of the first half lies in its ability to conjure epic landscapes without resorting to bombast. Tracks like the title piece, “Sorrow Befell,” unfold like a slow-burning elegy, where melancholy is not merely expressed but ritualised. The synths, far from being ornamental, serve as the emotional core, guiding the listener through valleys of grief and fleeting transcendence. There’s a sense of restraint here — a refusal to overwhelm, opting instead for gradual immersion.
Then comes the pivot: the four-part suite “Lightless Descent,” which abandons black metal entirely in favour of ambient exploration. It’s a bold move, and one that initially jars, but soon reveals itself as a natural extension of the album’s thematic arc. The ambient passages are meditative, steeped in nostalgia and quiet strength, evoking the solitude of forgotten ruins and the weight of memory. Though stylistically divergent, this second half complements the first, offering a descent not into chaos, but into reflection.
Ultimately, Sorrow Befell is a work of duality — a meditation on sorrow that traverses both fury and stillness. Ringarë demonstrates a rare ability to balance genre fidelity with artistic evolution, crafting an album that feels timeless yet deeply personal. It is not merely a reissue, but a reawakening — a sonic journey through grief, beauty, and silence.
https://alteseelen.bandcamp.com/album/sorrow-befell
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