DARKENHÖLD released their sixth album, “Le Fléau Du Rocher”, a powerful and exciting step forward for this French medieval Black Metal band. After nearly twenty years of making music, these maniacs are still crafting albums that feel both fresh and enticing. Their style of blending dark, melodic Black Metal with stories inspired by ancient legends, medieval folklore and atmospheric composition remains interesting within a genre known for its stylistic rigor. Right from the first track, ‘Codex De La Chevalerie’, you’re drawn into a world full of mystery and medieval grandeur. The sound is rich and layered, with Aldébarans multi-instrumental skills shining alongside Cervantes’ vocals and Aboths solid drumming. The production is the usual clear, but still the band managed to keep the raw energy that anyone can’t immediately ignore or put aside. Further songs like, ‘L Ascension Du Mage Noir’, ‘Dans L’antre De La Vouivre’, ‘Troubadourand’ or ‘Le Fléau Du Rocher’, stand out and show how the band has grown and remains enticing to listen through creating strong compositions – despite being atmospheric, a style which flooded the genre. Cervantes’ voice sounds stronger and more varied than before, finely matching the musics intensity. Deep into the record, ‘Codex De La Chevalerie’ and ‘Gardienne Des Dryades’ show the band’s maturity in mixing haunting melodies with superb storytelling, while ‘Sortilège Ancestral’ into the epic album closer ‘Pour Le Royaume’, sums up the record’s potency to make you repeat few times. The cover art is again expressive and reflective of what’s inside, as the band always let the listerners contemplate in all the past releases. With all that, “Le Fléau Du Rocher” is forged in such a way that it feels like an adventure that takes you into a world where history and mythology collides. With the the band’s passion and skills throughout, this record can be one of the most exciting melodic Black Metal albums in recent years and poised to spread the name of DARKENHÖLD deeper. Find out more about the band and label here: www.facebook.com/darkenhold, www.facebook.com/ladloproductions