To tell you the truth, the way I discovered Astrofaes was when I was at my local black metal store where I found their album "The Eyes of the Beast" filed into Nokturnal Mortum's section. Thinking that it was a side project by NM I immediately picked it up. However, although this band doesn't have much to do with Nokturnal Mortum, they will certainly appeal to fans of the band as well as the rest of the Ukranian black metal scene.
Astrofaes is a band which actually features a member of Drudkh, which you should already know is one of the best black metal bands out there today. Knowing this information should already tell you that Astrofaes is something that is top quality and abundant with nature-inspired atmosphere. Similar to their fellow Ukranians, Nokturnal Mortum, the band plays a thrashier blend of raw black metal that maintains a rich mood throughout every song. Eyes of the Beast grips you from beginning to end with enough intensity and atmosphere to keep focus on. There isn't a boring moment during the album's entire duration.
Astrofaes not only set a powerful tone on this album but they also display some stunning musicianship to accompany it. There are some incredible riffs to be found here along with terrific melodies. Also the drumming is very interesting, especially in the first song, combining normal blast beats with some strange drum patterns. The vocals are amazing as well. They remind me a little bit of Raven from 1349, except more clear. The singer has a very clean kind of black metal scream. I'm guessing that Astrofaes has the same vocalist as Drudkh because they sound almost identical. Therefore if you've heard that band, you know what to expect on this album. However, unlike Drudkh, the vocals are used much more in this recording than on say Autumn Aurora. I can't describe how talented this band is for being able to express a similar atmosphere to Drudkh while still keeping their own different style.
Along with the stellar musicianship, Astrofaes throw in some battle and nature sounds that expand the atmosphere even further. You can imagine yourself standing atop an icy mountain over a huge battlefield when listening to The Eyes of the Beast. The superb artwork that graces the album potrays the mood of the music perfectly. It is a very white atmosphere that is still meant to be listened to in the dark, if you know what I mean.
The production is very good, raw yet clear. All the instruments are audible, a similar sound once again to Drudkh. It captures the essence of the music in true black metal fashion while remaining completely listenable, setting a cool wintery atmosphere to the record.
Overall, if you are a fan of Hate Forest, Drudkh, Burzum, Nokturnal Mortum, Empyrium, and the rest of the nature-inspired black metal bands, Astrofaes is definately for you. The Eyes of the Beast is amazing to listen to alone late at night while the sun begins to rise. It'll really put you in an undescribable mood. You must pick this release up if you're looking for some catchy and atmospheric raw black metal. It's a magnificent experience.
Sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSWjXb_yzXI
