Lamp of Murmuur – Saturnian Bloodstorm (Review)

Sometimes it only takes a small moment to fall in love with a band. In 2022, it happened to me when I saw Lamp of Murmuur at the legendary Roadburn Festival. A year has passed since then and now the band’s third album Saturnian Bloodstorm will be released on March 26.

The new record might offer some surprises for older fans. The raw sound from the last two releases is gone. Instead it gets cold, very cold. As if one would enter the mystical worlds of Blashyrkh. The interplay between guitar and drums creates an icy mood, which is why especially the first song “Conqueror Beyond the Frenzied Fog” reminds me of Immortal’s At the Heart of Winter. In general, Saturnian Bloodstorm seems like a logical progression for Lamp of Murmuur. It is clearly “better” produced than the previous albums and is more oriented towards a European Black Metal sound. Nevertheless, it manages to create melodic moments with tracks like “Hymns of Deaths, Rays of Might” or “Seal of the Dominator”. These fit perfectly into the cold setting, which is clearly reinforced by the use of the synthesizer.

Black Metal can be a very complex genre. Of course, there have always been new influences and structures in recent years. “In Communion With the Wintermoon” can be seen as a prime example of the diversity of the entire subculture. It features established components of the genre and cleverly mixes them with modern elements into one majestic song. It’s like going on a hike through a fantasy epic. While the last two records sounded very depressive and desperate, Saturnian Bloodstorm sounds stronger and more down to earth. As if mastermind M has found strength in life. What many older bands fail to do, namely to keep their sound fresh, seems to be no problem for Lamp of Murmuur.

Almost with ease one good album is released after another. The sky is the limit for Lamp of Murmuur. If you are looking for an album that will end up on many “Best of 2023” lists, Saturnian Bloodstorm is exactly the right record. Oldschool Black Metal paired with melodic and atmospheric elements. What else should I say? Maybe already a candidate for the album of the year?