MELLOM is a rising Black / Death Metal band from Frankfurt, Germany. Formed in 2023, this duo’s debut album, “The Empire Of Gloom”, arrives on February 13, 2025, via Folter Records and is poised to make a significant mark on the Black and Death Metal boundaries. At almost 46 minutes and nine tracks, the album is a haunting journey through life’s fragility, the inevitable death and everything in between. With its dark, atmospheric textures and aggressive brutality, MELLOM crafts an emotional and sonic landscape that’s both unsettling and captivating. The album’s theme, heavily inspired by themes of impermanence, loss and uncertainty, is encapsulated perfectly by the band’s name, “Mellom”, which translates to “between” in Norwegian. The opening track ‘The Ruins Inside Of Me’ starts with its atmospheric intro before diving into the sound and style that the band will maintain all across the album. The guitar here is intricate, painting, gloomy, while the drums are always pushing to a sense of urgency and despair. Then we have tracks like ‘Rules Of The Universe’, ‘The Last Dance’ or ‘Burden’ blending raw aggression with moments of atmospheric taste that leave an imprint on your psyche. The vocals, delivered with intensity, stand out for their ability to convey a depth of emotion, particularly in the track ‘The Empire Of Gloom’. There’s a noticeable shift from traditional harsh vocals to more atmospheric, echoing screams that for me amplify the album’s ethereal yet suffocating aura. As the album progresses, tracks like ‘Feed The Machine’, ‘Beyond The Endless Waves’ or ‘Hunting’ delve deeper into the atmospheric components, featuring slow, crushing riffs that seem to pull you deeper into the gloom. These moments are often juxtaposed with violent lines of intensity, creating a dynamic that perfectly captures the balance between life and death. The closing track, ‘Despair’, brings a powerful conclusion, blending melodies with some transitions that will leave you breathless. “The Empire Of Gloom” is a compelling debut that showcases how capable of marrying atmospheric depth with the raw power of Black and Death Metal this band is. If you’re drawn to the darkest corners of the genre, this album will fit for sure. I’d say that MELLOM is willing to forge a distinct voice in the Black / Death Metal scene this 2025, and with this release, they want to make sure they will resonate deeply with those who seek music that explores the boundaries between life, death (and everything in between). More info: www.facebook.com/mellomofficial, www.facebook.com/folterrecordsgermany