ALGOL deliver a modern, atmospheric strain of black metal enriched with expressive keyboard layers that deepen the mood without overwhelming the core sound. Dalkiel?s vocal range?shifting from piercing black-metal screams to cavernous growls and even a more theatrical cadence?adds weight and dimension to the music. The material stands confidently alongside well-known acts in the genre, with moments that evoke the sweeping atmospheres of ?And Oceans or the grand, folk-tinged intensity of Nokturnal Mortem. Tracks like "The Audible Drug" and "Numbing Dreams with Sad Purple Edges" are often highlights, showcasing ALGOL at their most compelling and fully realized.
SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY?s contribution takes a different but equally purposeful path, leaning into a suffocating blend of extreme doom and death metal while retaining faint echoes of their earlier black-metal roots. Often described as "dirge-doom", their side embraces bleakness with intent -slow, crushing, and unflinchingly heavy. While some listeners find the approach meandering, others appreciate its immersive, oppressive atmosphere, especially fans of boundary-pushing doom/death acts like Sunn O))) or maybe Disembowelment. Rather than competing with ALGOL, SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY offer a contrasting emotional landscape, making the split a diverse and rewarding experience for listeners open to both intensity and introspection.
TRACK LIST:1 Algol - Why Have You Forgotten Me? 0:31
2 Algol - Numbing Dreams With Sad Purple Edges 7:38
3 Algol - The Audible Drug 4:39
4 Algol - Milk It (Nirvana Cover) 4:26
5 Algol - To Sin Is Immortality 7:59
6 Shroud Of Despondency - The Many Words Never Penned 9:00
7 Shroud Of Despondency - Untouchable Comfort In The Knowledge Of Discord 9:07
8 Shroud Of Despondency - The Tongue Of Outspoken Lies 9:17
9 Shroud Of Despondency - Game 12:01