‘Vortex of the Worlds’ by Labyrinthus Stellarum

‘Vortex of the Worlds’ by Labyrinthus Stellarum

Ukraine's Labyrinthus Stellarum, who burst onto the black metal scene with Tales of the Void in 2023, have since honed their craft. Seamlessly blending ambient synth work and aggressive black metal, they've carved a niche in the cosmic black metal subgenre alongside artists like Midnight Odyssey, Vorga, and Blut Aus Nord. Their latest album, Vortex of the Worlds, is a testament to their evolution, presenting a more refined and sharpened approach to their cosmic-inspired atmospheric black metal.

“Transcendence” is a prime example of the band's versatility, demonstrating their knack for creating catchy hooks and grooves. It's a track that effortlessly glides, setting the tone for the entire album. “Downfall” ventures into a more aggressive territory, showcasing the band's adeptness at blending synthwave and black metal, creating a grand, expansive atmosphere. The album weaves a captivating space opera narrative around resistance forces and an armada of intergalactic warships, adding a layer of fun and intrigue. The vocals, ranging from dirty screams to reverb and clean echoes, are used to great effect throughout. 

“From the Nothingness” is the standout song of the album. Labyrinthus Stellarum pulls on all their strengths to create a comic black metal track that is equally atmospheric, furious, groovy, emotional, and exciting. The song uses mesmerizing syncopations and a strong song structure that fluctuates between ethereal synth work and progressive builds to blast beats. Though its lyrics are simple, they hold a lot of weight as they capture the feeling of staring into a void that you realize isn’t a void at all. 

“The Light of Dying Worlds” showcases Labyrinthus Stellarum’s impressive synthesizer mixing capabilities. The track also relies on long ambient sections with robotic, ethereal vocals. The album closes strong with “Vortex of the Worlds.” This song serves as a sonic and thematic closer, with lyrics that take a wider, expansive look at the beauty and despair of the vastness of the universe. 

Vortex of the Worlds is an all-around blast to experience. Though it’s often not considered “cool” to be fun in the black metal scene, Labyrinthus Stellarum reveals something different with its take on cosmic black metal. The band demonstrates that you don’t have to sacrifice catchy grooves and heavy riffage when exploring eldritch, Lovecraftian themes of the cosmos. Though it’s still early in the year, this album is already a favorite of mine, and it will be interesting to see what Labyrinthus Stellarum will put out next. 

You can follow Labyrinthus Stellarum on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.