Scáth Na Déithe (Ireland): “The Dirge of Endless Mourning”

Irish black metal act Scáth Na Déithe is another group about which I am happy to write again. The first time was in 2017 when I was impressed by their first full-length album Pledge Nothing but Flesh; back then, Scáth Na Déithe was a duo, today it's a one-man-band as drummer Stephen Todd left, his place by being taken over by a session. Mastermind Cathal remained, and thus the new album The Dirge of Endless Mourning continues along the same line as the previous one but is somehow more complex with its only four but very long songs. With his down-tuned guitars, Cathal creates a wall of loud and massive, almost abysmal sound. You will recognize unexpected influences, sometimes from death metal with the addition of a few but clear dissonances, sometimes from doom metal, such as in “Ochon”, where there are some clean vocals. Generally, the atmosphere is ghostly and alienating, but it can also be desperate and painful. Undoubtedly, The Dirge of Endless Mourning  is one of the best black metal albums of 2020.
 
Notes:
The Dirge of Endless Mourning was released on January 30, 2020 via Vendetta Records.
 
Personnel:
Cathal Hughes: vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards
 
Session musicians:
Tom Woodlock: drums
 
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com