Hermitage "Nawiht" CD

Atmospheric Epic Hammer Black Metal from United Kingdom Third album. For fans of Graveland.

Jewelcase CD with 8 pages booklet.

Hermitage is another one man projects producing atmospheric black metal. Formed something like a decade ago sole member Tsar has released his third full length in 2020. Just by looking at the cover you might be able to get an idea what to expect, and Tsar delivers with impressing quality. Over five mainly lengthy tracks he unfolds his vision, giving us some tremendously epic harmonies and captivating soundscapes. “Nawiht” combines a lot of the attributes that got me into black metal in the first place.
The employing of tremolo pickings among other simple but effective techniques is toned down compared to other black metal albums, and Tsar really sets the tone of the music with his impeccable songwriting and masterful balance of melody and rawness. The whole album is embedded in a hypnotic aura, making it easy to lose yourself within the music without noticing, and lose track of time, while listening to it. This album is for fans of immersive music who are seeking more than just a bunch of single tracks bundled together. That being said there is enough directness so that the single songs are easily enjoyable.
There are a lot of acoustic and ambient passages sprinkled over the whole album, highlighting the strongly hypnotic nature of it. Elements like choirs are used to further enhance the dense and breath-taking atmosphere, with the harsh riffs and ultimately frosty vocals working as counterparts. These contrasts are the reason for atmospheric black metal having become so popular during the past few years. Hermitage might probably stay a name only a few underground fans and collectors know, but based on the talent of Tsar this project would really deserve a bit of popularity within the scene.
Tsar is a masterful creator of songs and memorable moments, and “Nawiht” brutalizes and mystifies with a compelling tale of darkness and despair, but with some glimmers of hope as well. He paints vivid pictures with materials consisting of elements from old and new black metal. The production perfectly fits the overall picture, and while there might be albums with a more dynamic sound everything here is crystal clear and the overall mix feels pretty natural. This is not the kind of black metal that asks for an overly harsh production or a very compressed and modern one. In case you got the slightest interest in laid-back and carefully crafted black metal do not sleep on this project.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...