The rise of the second-wave of Norwegian black metal was an incredibly poignant era in the history of metal. I truly don’t think it gets the credit it deserves for how it would go on to shape the sound, ideology, and aesthetics of both black metal and metal in general over the last thirty years. One could argue that the controversies of the time overshadowed the music itself. With time, that has corrected itself. The music is just as relevant today as it was all those years ago, with many of those genre-defining bands still churning out music. When it comes to contemporary bands exploring the sound of the second-wave, the playing field is sparse. Sure, there are oodles of bands that either mindlessly imitate or eccentrically reiterate. It is rare, in my opinion, that a band comes along that absolutely nails that sound in a completely authentic and sincere way. Along with Norway’s Djevel, Iranian/Norwegian band From The Vastland are a pitch-black example of second-wave in its purest sense.

From The Vastland mastermind and principle songwriter, Sina Winter, birthed the band in late 2010 as a one-man project and released two full-length albums over the following three years (Darkness vs. Light, The Perpetual Battle and Kamarikan, respectively). The project then became a full-fledged band in 2013 with the release of the album Temple Of Daevas, which also featured known Norwegian musicians Tjalve (Horizon Ablaze, Svartelder, ex-1349, ex-Den Saakaldte) and guest/session drummer Vyl (Whoredome Rife, ex-Keep Of Kalessin, Gorgoroth). Over the next eight years, From The Vastland would release four very well-received full-length albums (’16’s Chamrosh, ’18’s Daevayasna, ’20’s The Haft Khan, ’22’s Taurvi) that would cement their place among the best of contemporary Norwegian black metal bands.

With their eighth full-length album, Tenebrous Shadow, From The Vastland continue where they left off with 2022’s Taurvi. However, this time, they plunge deeper into the hellish depths of the Persian demons and dark entities that have haunted Middle Eastern lore for millenia. Musically speaking, the darkness on offer is also amplified, combining vicious, unrelenting riffing and blastbeats with old-school Norwegian black metal and a slight tinge of Arabic/Oriental melodies. This album is not just a collection of songs but a piece of work that takes the listener on a malevolent odyssey into the depths of Persian mythology, melding musical craftsmanship with artistic finesse.

Opening with the track ‘Fiend Mool Infant’ (‘Mool’ noun, meaning earth from or for a grave), the band waste no time making clear their intentions. Sonically, this song, and the whole album for that matter, has a close kinship to fellow countrymen, Tsjuder, and their last album, Helvgr. Similar to that album, From The Vastland have achieved an icy-cold production that allows the riffs to slice through the murky atmosphere with the precision of a Vulcan 20-20 laser (the world’s most powerful laser). The main riff on this song is a swirling, vexing wall of impenetrable blackened might that is as catchy as it is vertigo-inducing. The song segues into the track ‘Asto Vidatu’, which recounts the horrors of a red demon (Asto Vidatu) who binds the soul at death and separates it from the body. Compared to the first track, this one incorporates a bit more melody, reminiding me in parts of Swedish melodic black metallers, Dawn. It exudes a brutal, euphonius, venomous atmosphere that permeates the soul.

‘99999’ begins with a mid-paced crusher of a riff that chews through the occipital cortex with its malicious, brain-bashing groove à la Norway’s Khold. It’s not long before the intensity kicks into overdrive, with riff after heaving riff consolidating to create a massive wall of black metal magic. The title-track, ‘Tenebrous Shadow’, erupts with an infectious 4/4 beat that embraces the hypnotic simplicity of both early Darkthrone and Burzum, whilst Sina summons a cadre of Persian demons vocally. At about midway through, the song shifts into a virulent, crawling chord progression reminiscent of Nemesis Divina-era Satyricon, and ends in truly epic fashion with an ice-covered Dissection-like melody. ‘Luciferous Eye’ is a seven minute journey into the marrow of From The Vastland. If you truy want a glimpse into the artistic DNA of this band, you will find it here. This song, inparticular, is a shining example of the talents Sina has employed to create this beast of an album, with bassist, Tjalve, and drummer, Spektre, showcasing their earthquake-inducing capabilities. The album ends with a doublet of black metal perfection in ‘Battle Of Dead Meadow’ and ‘Until Dawn’. The ferocity and technicality on display in these two songs is simply mind-boggling. Again, I am getting strong contemporary Tsjuder and 1349 vibes, which speaks volumes to the songwriting skills of Sina, as both these bands are in the upper-echelon of the black metal elite.

Tenebrous Shadow is an an album that is not only fierce and uncompromising but also atmospherically rich and musically complex. It is a brutal and breathtaking exemplifcation of the original ethos and spirit of True Norwegian Black Metal. As mentioned at the top of this review, I believe the future of second-wave inspired Norwegian black metal lies in the hands of both Djevel and From The Vastland. If you are craving an authetic experience, Tenebrous Shadow exposes a substratum of emotion, atmosphere, and purity that will certainly take you back to the primal, darkened days that gave birth to the second-wave of black metal.