Five years after “Tales of Othertime” cast its alluring spell across the black metal community, gaining STORMKEEP wider recognition, the Colorado-based dark warriors emerged once more from the shadowed halls of their legendary citadel. They returned with “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh” almost three months ago, their first offering from a new chapter in their ever-expanding fantasy realm, a chapter seemingly darker, more sinister, and more ambitious than anything they had attempted before.
Ever since the release of the cult-favored “Galdrum” EP, STORMKEEP have occupied a unique position within modern symphonic black metal. Their music has always stood upon foundations laid by the genre’s great architects while simultaneously drawing life from medieval folklore, arcane mysticism, and richly imagined worlds of ancient kingdoms, forgotten magic, and spectral wonder. Atmosphere has never been a mere embellishment in STORMKEEP‘s work — it is the very lifeblood coursing through their compositions.
With “Tales of Othertime”, the band firmly established itself among the most compelling names of the contemporary scene. Echoes of EMPEROR‘s majestic scope, the melodic intelligence of DIMMU BORGIR, and a frostbitten fierceness of their own converged into an album that felt both timeless and refreshingly vital. It was music capable of transporting the listener beyond reality, into enchanted landscapes populated by ancient sorcery, hidden strongholds, and endless moonlit horizons.
It seemed that “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh” pushed that vision even further into the darkness. The track showcased STORMKEEP‘s ever-growing command of symphonic black metal’s dramatic potential, weaving together towering orchestral textures, razor-edged riffing, and an atmosphere thick with menace and mystery. The song balanced elegance and violence with remarkable precision, embracing the genre’s classic spirit while avoiding mere nostalgia.
Rather than simply recreating the grandeur of the past, STORMKEEP continued to refine and expand their identity, transforming familiar elements into something immersive, cinematic, and deeply evocative. “Carnal Tapestries of Nailtorn Flesh” was not just a return — it was the opening of another portal into the band’s fantastical universe, inviting listeners to venture once more into realms where myth, magic, and darkness reign supreme.
It is true that STORMKEEP carved their name into the modern melodic black metal landscape swiftly and decisively, leaving listeners with little choice, much like under a vampire’s seductive gaze once invited into your house. “Tales of Othertime” won over legions of listeners through that masterful blend of grandiose and ferocious songwriting. On “The Nocturnes Of Iswylm”, they do not merely revisit that formula — they plunge it into moonlit crypts, drape it in silken darkness, and let it feast on the thick red wine of eternal damnation.
From the very first moments of the GREAT opener “The Taste Of Immortal Blood”, the album unfolds like a dark fantasy horror film projected across storm-lashed castle walls. STORMKEEP remain cinematic and epic in scope, but this time they embrace a stronger gothic sensibility, enriching their already majestic sound with an aura of nocturnal melancholy, all ready to unleash its wild wrath. The result is a work overflowing with darkness, drama, and spectral beauty.
The production deserves enormous praise, and Arthur Rizk has once again worked true magic. Every instrument breathes, every melody cuts through the fog with startling clarity, and yet the album never loses its sinister edge. The recording, mixing, and production by Michael Zech are equally magnificent. This is not raw black metal; it is meticulously crafted, richly layered, and utterly immersive. Alongside this year’s “Necropalace” by fellow US vampires WORM, “The Nocturnes Of Iswylm” forms a formidable blood-soaked twin pillar of modern vampiric black metal — refined rather than crude, elegant rather than filthy, yet no less threatening.
“The Black Dragons Of Iswylm” and “Saccharine Subjugation” are excellent examples of the above claims. Solid songwriting, intricate, well-structured development, and masterful musicianship blend perfectly.
The guitar work from Otheyn Vermithrax (none other than Isaac Faulk, drummer of BLOOD INCANTATION) and Apokteino (aka Jamie Hansen, a bandmate of Isaac Faulk in WAYFARER) is simply GLORIOUS! Riffs rain down like repeated knife thrusts in a black-covered dungeon, while the melodies —velvety and luxurious on the surface— bite like pointed teeth once they sink beneath the skin.
The rhythm section is equally devastating. Nebula Husk‘s bass acts as a blood-bound ligament holding together the band’s arcane spells, reinforcing every surge of melody and aggression. The collaboration feels perfectly natural, as Shane McCarthy has worked with both previously mentioned bandmates as another member of WAYFARER.
Meanwhile, Otheyn Vermithrax also delivers a stunning drum performance: intricate, dynamic, and relentlessly intense. When the blasting erupts, the drums sound like frantic heartbeats pounding in your chest as you flee from your worst nightmares through endless corridors of darkness. Moreover, he brings the chilliness of nighttime wolf howls and the unnerving screams of banshees to an amazing vocal performance. Vocally, the album is SPLENDID indeed. The harsh vocals truly seem torn from the throat of a vampire driven mad by centuries of hunger and desire. Pure nightmare and bloody romance material!
Yet one of the album’s greatest strengths lies in its use of clean vocals and keyboards. Lord Dahthar‘s atmospheric keyboard arrangements weave vast sheets of haunted ambience across the compositions, while the clean vocal passages create a beautiful contrast against the feral black metal fury. Together they build an atmosphere that is immersive, unsettling, and often breathtaking.
This is most evident in “Imperious Sanguine Eroticism”, a bizarre yet intriguing goth/black potion of dark lust, followed by the ideally matching “Echoes In The Vasts Of Sequestration”.
Distinctive influences from the works of EMPEROR, DISSECTION, BAL-SAGOTH, and DIMMU BORGIR drift throughout the tracklist, yet STORMKEEP never sound like mere disciples. A MOONLIGHT SORCERY-like dark symphonic essence is also easily recognized, as “The Nocturnes Of Iswylm” is heavily orchestral — it is worth mentioning the guest appearance of Andrea Morgan (violin, viola, and cello).
The crown jewel arrives at the very end. The monumental nine-and-a-half-minute “Ballad Of A Fallen Star” closes the album in spectacular fashion. Its lengthy, spellbinding introduction gradually draws the listener into its orbit before unleashing waves of magnificent melodies, explosive black metal ferocity, and some of the album’s most emotionally resonant moments. The fast sections burst with triumphant yet tragic energy, while the songwriting remains captivating throughout its entire duration. EPIC! Quite simply, this is an OUTSTANDING composition and a perfect finale!
With their sophomore work, STORMKEEP have delivered a darkly romantic, fiercely melodic, and wonderfully theatrical black metal opus. It is an album that stalks the night with aristocratic elegance and predatory intent, leaving behind a trail of blood and unforgettable melodies, both cherished under the everlasting moonlight.
The cover art belongs to Simon Bisley. While I understand the comic sword-and-sorcery action-themed presentation, I must confess that, in my humble opinion, it is one of the weakest artistic elements of this release.
“The Nocturnes of Iswylm” was released on June 12th on CD, LP, and MC by Vesperian.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
You can order the CD, LP, and MC here.
