The newest EP contains three tracks and a cover song by the Greek black metal band Agatus. The guitar work stems from the neoclassical style of Yngwie Malmsteen combined with the blistering velocity of melodic black/death metal. Moonlight Sorcery is now adept at balancing these elements together and the opening track ‘Ancient Sword of Hate’ offers a gripping epic experience that captures the blazing melodies and imbues some catchy lead guitar work. In the songwriting aspect, the guitar department immediately utilizes its skills: hence, the song radiates a phenomenal mixture of symphonic elements and while it comes close to a pyrotechnic display, the vocals provide the thrills.

The musical composition draws the listener into the epic and icy vast lands of magical castles. From the rapid pace of the drums to the impressive fast solosn it paints vistas of Aurora Borealis and nebular galaxies. The songwriting focuses on majestic guitars and epic black metal melodies that would bring Emperor to mind.

The following track ‘Yötuulten Kutsu’ features some beautiful freezing synth work. The bombastic riffs meld multi-layered guitars, the track offers speed, and it has some memorable melodies with the guitar solos ranging from mind-blowing technical prowess. Moonlight Sorcery has achieved greatness with the latest EP. In contrast to the passionate melodies, there are plenty of hooks and memorable passages that are heavily textured in the harsh vocals of Ruttomieli. Rapid-fire riffs ignite like a blazing star. This track offers aggression, heavy riffs and freezing-cold synth exuding chilling winter vibes.

It’s almost undeniable to mention the neoclassical influences of Yngwie Malmsteen. Its grand scale of staggering lead guitar and intricate melodies and the atmosphere make the songs quite appealing. Moonlight Sorcery is capable of impressing fans with their unique concoction of fast tempos, adding some enchantment to these songs. However, the seven minutes instrumental track ‘Constellation’ is the key to unlocking the band’s sonic depth and ingenuity. The beautiful guitar solos bring an exceptional performance from the guitar department and it’s far more powerful and complex than anything they have ever done so far. It quickly becomes apparent that Moonlight Sorcery emphasizes the guitar work in the latest EP. The musical landscape is given vast breadth embodying inspiration from Ensiferum, Moonsorrow and Emperor.

The Agatus cover song ‘Black Moon’s Blood’ brings some powerful riffs and blistering blast beats, but it shows how Moonlight Sorcery can craft some interesting cover songs with its own sound. Despite the short length of the track, the trio stays true to the fundamentals of black metal. The keyboards play an integral part in this song and the vocals add some harshness,while the fast-paced drums are dominated by fiery guitars.

Hopefully, at some point, we get a full-length album from these talented musicians. There’s definitely nothing to dislike here. This is a great follow-up to the debut EP ‘Piercing Through The Frozen Eternity’. Moonlight Sorcery has started the year 2023 with a new success!

Links