Darkness Enshroud is one side project of Michael ”Baron Drakkheim Abaddon” Ford ”Nachtoter” of Black Funeral and his mistress Darkat Shanna LeJeune who also has made appearance on Black Funeral recordings. This is their second album, I haven’t heard the first one ”Ancient Kingdoms” but they seem to be ashamed of it and people who have heard it think it is one of the worst records ever. ”Unveiled Ghostly Shadows” on the other hand, is something to be proud of. Stylistically, it is similar to the new direction of Black Funeral and the third project of this couple, Valefor. It’s ”trance inducing vibes”, ritualistic, dark and lifeless soundscapes created with keyboards, vocals, samples, bones and probably other spontaneous instruments too.

The name of the record and the cover picture of a misty graveyard do fit the mood. It’s a horror movie atmosphere, with creaks, whispers, tappings and hummings enveloping the listener in a chilling way, provided that both internal and external environmental conditions at the time of listening are appropriate. It is not only ambiental sounds, disconnected pieces of melody are performed by Darkat’s vocals, by a weirdly echoing piano and other sound sources, in no harmony but not in disharmony either. There is a free and improvised feel to the material which gives it space and atmosphere, but it never slips out of hand, even when it’s length of over an hour makes it to be rarely listened all at once.

© 1999 black hate