Review: Achathras – A Darkness of the Ancient Past

Review by Jeger

Achathras – A Darkness of the Ancient Past

Record Label: Cult Never Dies

Year: 2025

Rating: 10/10

To understand the Second Wave of Black Metal is to understand what a thrill it was to discover the movement’s bands and the danger of knowing that “Heathen Barbarism was on the rise” (Ihsahn) somewhere. The danger of the Norwegian scene, the Occult mystification of the Swedish scene and the passionate drama of the Greek Scene – catalysts to many a night spent by the cassette player for captivated youths – the forbidden fruit of old corner Record Shops and the product of nefarious Record Labels.

Fast-forward to today and it is understood that Black Metal has become the most versatile school of Extreme Metal. It’s been dissected into thousands of these minuscule specs known as sub-genres, and representing these sub-genres are their respective bands. It’s an exhausting affair. However, we’ve also witnessed a rise in enterprising nostalgia-based Black Metal bands who are all trying to recapture the sound and the energy of the good old days, all the while as they maintain an identity of their own.

Achathras

Achathras – a mystery trio of experienced yet anonymous players. Frontman looks like Dagon (Inquisition)… This group came together with the intention of getting all “Welkin” era Emperor and “Incipit Satan” era Gorgoroth on everyone with their debut LP, “A Darkness of the Ancient Past”. And alas! Do they too hit all of those “Far Away from the Sun” sweet spots. Just scratching the surface here: Mortiis! “Carpathian Wolves” era Graveland, Burzum! And more… The idea behind the record’s thematic and musical construct is to capture the essence of later ‘90’s BM – the state of the genre after the smoke had cleared from all of the early Second Wave drama – back when Black Metal had first begun to take its foothold.

Its all here: the epic, the majesty and the frigid cold. Imagery evoked of forlorn Castles awakening to the ghostly fruits of ritual summoning, as Winter’s heartless gale sweeps the desperate countryside. Of galloping the storm! Of out-striding the dawn upon diabolical Steeds under Satanic Moon. Following the epic, synth-accented, mood-setting intro, “The Weaving of the Worlds”, Achathras unshackle with “Anointed With Moonfire” – a compositional roller coaster that sends you reeling through Immortal-sized passages where godlike rhythms, soaring tremolo riffs and ethereal synth accents create an atmosphere of a most mystifying quality. The following track, “A Cerement of Flame”, takes on a more sinister vibe as the intensity is dialed up a bit; resulting in cadences & guitar parts that loom overhead as threatening as the promise of battlefield storms and the cold muck of the earth to swallow the slain.

Black Metal for the mystification of the Hordes! For ancient magick and for the sanctity of the night is “A Darkness of the Ancient Past” – a volume of epic proportions. It’s almost like these guys have been doing this for decades… They most assuredly have, as only a Veteran’s vision and an Artisan’s touch can produce highly visual Black Metal, truly immersive ambience, as what you’ll take in during the instrumental interlude, “Melancholy Wanderer”. Wandering but never lost. Wondering but never bewildered. Solemn but never depressed and at ease with His suffering is our walker within the eternity of thoughts. And on and on, thither and yon do we voyage into the gripping realm of epic Black Metal. This is why we do it, no?

The ability to portray Black Metal’s capacity for beauty, for poetry and for entrancement at this level is held by seldom. The nobility to produce BM of such a rich tapestry is also possessed by few. What we have here is an album that you would play for someone who’s asked you to play them some Black Metal for the first time: comprehensive yet easy to grip, melodic yet complex and satisfying to your longing for questing and for victory. With “A Darkness of the Ancient Past”, Achathras puts on a clinic – an exacting enthusiast’s dream – something that should be studied by those above-mentioned nostalgia-based Artists who seem to think that it has to be recorded in a Dungeon and mixed with Zombies for it to sound genuine. And what better way to close things out than with an expertly executed, epic ambient piece. “The Uttermost Cold” – a vision into the barren and upon the desolate. Arctic dust gusting over the frozen landscape, winds like the cries of tortured souls and the thought of knowing that nothing can survive here. A stunning ending to a brilliant album.

Mission accomplished! Achathras is coming out of the gates with authority here. Settle for nothing less. The haunting nostalgia of those first pure days, gripping visuals, immersive passages and about as close as you’ll get to reliving the Second Wave. And with plenty to appease the contemporary audience as well. Someone got it right for once! You’re gonna love this one…