SUN OF THE SLEEPLESS/ CAVERNOUS GATE

Split PROPHECY PRODUCTIONS

Atmospheric adventures from the far corners of the underground

Splits should exist as a complementary showcase, but also as a friendly attempt at one-upmanship – two or more bands trying to outshine their counterpart(s). When that happens, the listener truly benefits and the release manages to transcend the trappings of a mere publicity ploy. Sun Of The Sleepless and the lesserknown Cavernous Gate (formed by Helrunar, co-founder S.K.) fit well together in that regard. SOTS draw upon the neo-folk of its multiinstrumentalist Schwadorf’s Empyrium project, yet augment that naturalistic sway with orthodox black metal, while Cavernous Gate play doom-death that owes more to Esoteric’s sonic solar eclipse than anything in the traditional format. Such stylistic variety between the two bands and the quality of the material from each make this release worth revisiting more than once and whets appetites for potentially great individual full-lengths in the future. ■■■■■■■■■■

FOR FANS OF: Agalloch, Nebelung, Heaume Mortal DEAN BROWN