Review by George Stiglic on April 6, 2025.

How about diving into an atmosphere of medieval magic and mystique? Elegy Of Phantom Pain by Apostate offers just that. After a somewhat prolonged three-minute keyboard intro, we’re introduced to a compelling display of dark, atmospheric, old-school black metal.

The musicians clearly took inspiration from the '90s, with the primary association being EVOL—but played in a heavier black metal style. This influence is particularly evident in the title track, 'Elegy Of Phantom Pain', down to specific guitar techniques, such as occasional palm-muted passages. The vocals, on the other hand, reminded me of the Swiss band Fosth.

The album's riffs are classic angry tremolo patterns, written for a single guitar, evoking nostalgia for the '90s. Occasionally, the tonal of the riff is duplicated by keyboard lines—usually flute—which conjures a haunting, medieval atmosphere. Sometimes the synthesizer even takes the lead, while the guitar chords serve as a backdrop. The music isn’t overly complex, but that’s not its aim. The musicians’ primary goal seems to be to create a mysterious, medieval ambiance, which they accomplish remarkably well.

While the riffs are generally straightforward, their structure hints that these musicians are far from beginners and have considerable experience. The album comprises six tracks, two of which are the intro and outro, leaving us with four long (up to 10 minutes) atmospheric black metal songs. The length might seem daunting, but in the right setting—at night, in the dark, before sleep—the album passes by seamlessly, leaving a satisfying sense of nostalgia.

The lyrics appear inspired by local Italian medieval legends. A drawback, however, is the use of a drum machine; a live drummer would have been more fitting for '90s-inspired music. The intro and outro, while compositionally sound, also feel a bit stretched, though it’s clear the musicians were aiming for immersion.

The album is quite high quality in its specific way and I can safely recommend it to all fans of 90s black metal!

Rating: 7 out of 10