Crow Black Sky’s second album, Sidereal Light Volume 1, caught my eye in 2018 for several reasons. Firstly, it received a well-deserved 4.0 on this here blog. Secondly, it came from a band located in my home (and favorite city in the whole world), Cape Town, South Africa. For those unaware, extreme metal is a tough sell in Africa. No established scene, no radio support, few venues, and conservative crowds. Any metal band from Africa faces an uphill battle from the get-go, which makes it all the more astonishing how many cool bands South Africa produces. Crow Black Sky are no exception, and Sidereal Light Volume 1 was notable for how it melded black metal with a progressive sensibility on an outright operatic template. It felt massive and exciting, and I couldn’t wait for the implied Volume 2…
… Which then passed me by entirely. Maybe it was the long wait time, maybe the lack of label support, or maybe gremlins in the promo sump. Regardless, it flitted by without turning my head (and many others) and that’s a real shame because Sidereal Light Volume 2 deserved to enter many more earholes than it did. Including yours.
For those unfamiliar, Crow Black Sky play epic, atmospheric black metal in the vein of Mare Cognitum or Spectral Lore. There is plenty of blackgaze, some post-metal, but a progressive and highly operatic streak is what separates the band from contemporaries. The band underwent major line-up alterations before Sidereal Light Volume 1, and those changes were immediately apparent on the album, which was very different from debut, Pantheion. More changes occurred before Volume 2 with a new bassist, guitarist, and drummer. Often, this spells trouble. But while Volume 2 is different from Volume 1, it feels like the spiritual successor, not an entirely new beast. It’s also fucking rad.
The biggest change is Crow Black Sky’s continual development towards a more progressive, vibrant sound. The blackened elements still predominate, but there are many moments of major keys and uplifting melodies, which can initially be jarring. Opener, “The Blinding Might of Creation” begins so triumphantly, it is initially confusing. Where is the gentle prelude? The pointless 2-minute intro of chanted words? The frosty tremolos? Instead, we have warm hues, major keys and shimmering synths. It reminded me of Countless Skies’ 2020 gem, Glow. Crow Black Sky have no interest in limiting themselves, and Volume 2 sounds glorious and expansive precisely because it jettisons our notions of genre conventions. The album is a trip through the cosmos, with each of the 4 songs building upon the previous one.
Yes, I could have done with another song or two. Yes, I think the band has lost a tiny bit of bite in its embrace of melody. These are nitpicks in a stellar album that often sounds truly cosmic. More importantly, Crow Black Sky don’t sound like anyone else out there right now. It is rare for a band to combine common elements and make them sound unique. This makes the fact that so few heard this collection a real travesty. Crow Black Sky are onto something here, but they need a nudge and support. Put your headphones on, relax, and let them transport to you the stars.*
*Then pay them for their album, get them a record label, convince them to tour, and make sure it’s not 5 years until Vol 3.
Tracks to Check Out: There are only 4. Listen to all of them.
