Year: 2019
Total Time: 43:05
Label: Northern Silence Productions
SULDUSK is a one-woman Neofolk group with elements of Doom and Atmospheric Black Metal, by Emily Highfield from Australia. “Lunar Falls” is the debut album, released on April 12, 2019. For all Folk, Post Rock, Atmospheric Black, Doom Metal or any other similar music genres fans, this is a release you really don’t want to miss. From the two minute intro entitled “Eleos” you can already say that it has a very special sound.
The album’s themes can be quite vague, but the undisputed main theme is a constant balance of light and darkness that comes through the music. It talks about the division of the nature of all human beings and explores the journey of self-discovery, learning to live in both sides within them. Emily’s serene voice blends perfectly with the rich acoustic guitars in songs such as “Nazaré” and “Catacombs”. In the beautiful Folk track “The Elm”, an adaptation of a song by TREES OF ETERNITY, dedicated to their late singer, her voice rolls and calms in an angelic way. However, things can turn stormy, with the darker side of her personality exploding into songs unexpectedly, with a Black Metal that emerging in the heavier parts of the album.
But SULDUSK isn’t just Emily Highfield, even if she’s responsible for most of the work. She had several notable guests with her, who helped her in a wonderful way. The album was produced by Mark Kelson of Melbourne’s Gothic / Doom band, THE ETERNAL, who also played the guitars, bass and keyboards, as well as Glenn James and Marty O ‘Shea (THE ETERNAL) for the drums, Francesca Mountford played the cello, and some others such as guitarists Nicky Blackmore and Bryan Murphy who also added their talented parts. No matter who played what, the whole thing is so cohesive, eerie and just enchanting. The songs are passionate, melodic and atmospheric.
The SULDUSK’s “Lunar Falls” debut, sounds better than many bands on their tenth album, it’s a journey inside us, a journey between darkness and light, it’s extremely inspiring and that’s terribly encouraging for the band. “Lunar Falls” is one of the best emotionally melancholic but tanned things I’ve heard lately. Emily did a great job here and I’m literally saying I’m looking forward to her next job.
Rating: 8,5/10
Editor: Fanouris Exintavelonis
Related Link: SULDUSK – Facebook Page
