Palus Somni - Monarch Of Dark Matter

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PALUS SOMNI are a black metal trio who are from Bristol (UK) and Denver, Colorado (USA). The band themselves are still new as they came together last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their singer known as IMBER whose real name is KIMBERLEE NELSON comes from Oklahoma (USA) who is best known for bands like ALUDRA and ANCIENT HOSTILITY. Their second member known as STRODA who plays guitar, bass and synth is from the UK who played for DECOHERENCE. Last but not least their drummer EOGHIN whose real name is EVAN KNIGHT is from Colorado (USA) has played for AKHLYS, ASTRAEUS, PILES OF PRIEST and SUNS OF SORATH.

Their debut album titled MONARCH OF DARK MATTER was released earlier this year and is now available in all formats through the record label Blackseed Productions. The album starts off with the first track and shares the same name, “Monarch Of Dark Matter” explodes into the mass anarchy of throbbing guitar, bass & drums. It’s a little overwhelming and sudden too, thick in texture of complexity with multiple layers. There is no stopping for this track besides a short guitar interlude.

So moving onto the next track which is “Igneus Solis”, which simply an exact repeat of the atmospheric black metal that the guys have done so far. Safe to say this begins to become monotonous as we are now into the next track titled “The Dark Mania”. This time it’s more of a psychedelic rock intro with experimental playing with drums and black metal soundscape while the vocals seem to come and go as they please.

The next segment of this album is “Sidus Ludoviciana” which is actually an astronomical reference term for a star in the constellation of Ursa Major. So leaving the world of astronomy, the track carries themes we heard in the previous track, psychedelic rock and vicious heart racing rhythms with drums that have no limits. “Caliginous Stellar Womb” is one of the shorter tracks but nevertheless we hear the continuity of black metal instrumentation with very harsh vocals. However the doom metal comes into play later on in the track.

Ending with another full unison that has that extra bite to the sound overall. “Unholy Cosmic Quintessence” provides very much the same instrumental hysteria with experimental rock and black metal combined. “Chained To The North Star” has a more trimmed back sound with all instruments in the intro. But then we go back to the original mix of black metal, wicked vocals and thrashing drums. “Iron Empyreal Rain” is full of new orchestration of guitar, bass and drums. This is also one of the shortest tracks with haunting feelings in the dark & sombre atmosphere.

But as we go into what is the final track taking this album to a close. “Frozen Moon Chaos” has a more ghastly guitar intro creating a more occultic feel. There is that glimmer of the psychedelic rock sound with black metal, vocals are so overpowering as always. The album leaves me in a rather state of surprise and curiosity maybe. The band's name is actually a Latin translation of “Marsh of Sleep”(taken from the name of an area of the moon). The album is more of a conceptual journey into the unknown based around the term cosmic mysticism. But one must wonder will the band be able to follow up this album or will they be commonly recognized as a concept more than musical.

Songwriting: 6
Musicianship: 7
Memorability: 6
Production: 6

Overall: 6