Ash Borer – Cold of Ages

• Country: United States
• Style: Atmospheric black metal
• Label: Profound Lore Records
• Release date: 14 August 2012

Ash Borer’s Cold of Ages is four long songs of Californian black metal, released by Profound Lore. None of the tracks runs much under eleven minutes, and opener “Descended Lamentations” sets the tone: long tremolo passages, buried shrieks and slow sections that roll in like fog over a dark forest.

“Convict All Flesh” is the most haunting piece, with ghostly guest vocals from Jessica Way of Worm Ouroboros floating above the noise. “Removed Forms” closes the album with the same patient intensity. The spirit is close to Wolves in the Throne Room, but Ash Borer sound colder and more desperate. Demanding and bleak, but vivid from start to finish.

Best tracks:

Descended Lamentations
Convict All Flesh
Removed Forms

Author’s rating: 8.3/10