Darkspace Dark Space I

In evolutionary terms, this is the next step forward from the more conventional world set up by Emperor and Burzum, and then further explored by a number of other bands playing up both the symphonic and ambient aspects of the original tableau. As an album it cannot be deconstructed in terms of individual songs, and is something that compels 80 minutes of free time to fully comprehend. This is really the only weak spot to speak of, the fact that this music is so long and slow progressing that it vets its own audience with a level of force well removed from even most extreme metal fans. This is involved music meant for someone with either a very high attention span or a desire to retreat from reality for an extended period of meditation. It's an album of real consequence during a time period where black metal was beginning to repeat itself, and has since pushed the limits for how far into the abyss this genre can really go.