Anagnorisis

This death-tinted black metal band from Louisville, KY chose to name their band after the Greek theatrical concept of Anagnorisis, a critical moment of self-discovery when a character suddenly understands both themselves and their context. This is usually the moment at which the protagonist realizes they are in fact a hero, and in doing so has an epiphany about their relationship to the antagonist. It's this second half of the idea of "anagnorisis," defining one's self against one's enemies and all the ideas one stands against or finds repulsive, is at the centre of Anagnorisis's second full-length, Beyond All Light. Appropriately, the record is broken into two musical acts, each containing three tracks that run for approximately 50 grand, classical minutes. Often gloomy and haunting, twisting its sinewy form into ever darker corners and more contorted shapes, Beyond All Light is a narrative of self-discovery as defined by discord and rejection. Album opener "Eulerian Path" is an emotive, almost pagan black metal explorations of the inner landscape, while closer "Forever Night" is positively symphonic in its grandness. Filled with thunderous drumming and pierced by moments of unexpected illumination, Anagnorisis have crafted a black metal album worthy of their name.