Artist: Astral Gauze
Country: USA
Label: Wergild
Formats: LP / Cassette Tape
Year: 2025
Astral Gauze is a new project consisting of two musicians with lavish résumés that include current and previous experience with such bands as Ebony Pendant, Iron Firmament, Runeblade and Degraved. Although strictly speaking not all of this involvement took place within the confines of Black Metal, it is abundantly clear that Astral Gauze is a Black Metal project that sometimes likes to explore the boundaries of the genre.
In just under 40 minutes, ‘A Fire As Alien As Hostile…’ takes us, the listeners, on a journey through a multitude of Black Metal flavours. It is as if the band could not decide what to focus on, or perhaps it was simply the result of haphazard composing without any preconceived constraints. Sometimes it feels based on the somewhat progressive post-Armageddon projects, other times I get later Sigh, Arcturus, Novembre, Shining, Countess or Zemial/Agatus vibes. There’s even a somewhat Kraftwerk-like interlude. A wide range of inspirations/resemblances, but still a thoroughly Black Metal record that is worth a few spins to let it fully sink in and to allow the record to fully unfold itself. There’s lots of different things going on and the crux is mainly found in the details.
That little bit of quirky character of the music sets Astral Gauze firmly apart from the two musicians’ other bands and projects. While obviously most of these are also easily labelled as Black Metal, this is clearly something completely different. The atmospheric keyboards, the unpredictability and the outstanding musicianship: it all cumulates into a whirling piece of spacey Black Metal. Yet, it is not as flamboyant as, say, Diabolical Masquerade, later Morgul, Carach Angren (barf) or the aforementioned Arcturus or Sigh. So, either this slightly more modest approach is exactly what the duo is aiming for, or we should brace ourselves for what the future might bring for Astral Gauze.
