Band:	Woods Of Desolation
Album:	As The Stars
Style:	Atmospheric black metal
Release date:	February 2014

01. Like Falling Leaves
02. Unfold
03. And If All The Stars Faded Away
04. This Autumn Light
05. Anamnesis
06. Withering Field
07. Ad Infinitum

Woods Of Desolation grabbed my attention with its name, promising a bleak, atmospheric and utterly black sound, the one I loved since I unknowingly dived into the world of black metal, a dozen years ago.

I discovered this band only recently, some would say to my regret, but I say no! And if you perhaps like your metal to be black and haven't heard anything from this band, take a crucial step and listen to this album before their previous one, Torn Beyond Reason. The reason I say this, is because TBR is a masterpiece and, if regarding the fine nuances of black metal, a completely different direction and execution. Your subsequent reception of As The Stars may be heavily muffled as having expectations often does and as it happened after it was released.

To be fair, As The Stars is no masterpiece, but it sure is a very pleasant listen. The songs, especially the opener, are memorable,
having sweet and melancholic melodies that get easily stuck in your head. The sound is raw but has the similar analog warmth as the predecessor, but is also unprocessed enough to please those "trve" black metal puritists. The songwriting is where this work shines brightest. The interplay between structures and songs is downright gorgeous. Moreover, I can feel the passion.

If you like black metal in any form, you will surely find some great moments and many good ones. If you listened to TBR and want to give this a try, beware, it is, more or less, a new band. Tim Yatras left and we should try and appreciate the other half that created TBR, it certainly deserves it.