Cromlech – Of Owls and Eels

Cromlech – Of Owls and Eels
Release Date: 6th June 2025
Label: Darkness Shall Rise Production
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Gothic Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal.
FFO: Nagelfar, Lunar Aurora, The Ruins of Beverast, Dies Ater.
Review By: Rick Farley

Usually, the premise of our reviewers choosing new music to review, typically it’s best to choose stuff that you believe you will like, or maybe something you already know or has some name recognition. Honestly, for the most part it works pretty well, and we have a greater variety with less music being put randomly in hands that don’t actually want it. Therefore, a more accurate review for people to read, as opposed to just bashing simply because you chose something you already knew wasn’t going to be your thing. I picked this band solely on the back of the single Ice Curse. A crushing atmospheric nod to Emperor. Any form of black metal and chances are it could be up my alley, and truthfully for some parts Cromlech is. Well sort of. 

Cromlech is a one-man band from Germany. In the press release, it’s listed as Impurus – Everything, so it’s clearly 100%, from top to bottom just one person. Originally formed in 1994, most of what would become the band’s first album Cold and Stiff was written at that time, but for numerous reasons it wasn’t fully recorded and properly released until 2023, nearly thirty years later. Of Owls and Eels to be unveiled by Darkness Shall Rise Production on June 06^th 2025, is the bands second full length and is listed as a black metal band. This can be a little deceiving if you’re judging from limited sources. 

I’m going to be entirely truthful with you all, there’s a lot wrong with Of Owls and Eels. Firstly, the mix is an absolute mess. Things are too high here, too low there, overpowering, quiet, tin sounding and just recorded at times very substandard. The synths occasionally sound fake, like they’re from a lower grade keyboard. The drums, which are performed well, just sound lifeless, and completely dull. I hate to be so critical, but that single really pulled me in. It does have a raw underground feel about it, but only certain parts stick out as being recorded and mixed evenly. Some track parts are loud and commanding, while others are flat with zero impact. 

The other issue that I have is, Of Owls and Eels is kind of all over the place musically as well. One minute pseudo black metal Past Forever is cosmic and quirky with undertones of synths that don’t necessarily fit it stylistically, the next minute it’s dripping with atmospheric, old school black metal Ice Curse (hands down the best track on the record), and then Eels (Part 1) is just straight up acoustic goth with clean spoken vocals and spooky synths. The Quiet Witness might as well be marked as one half Type O Negative and the other half as progressive black metal. There’s a clear identity crisis going on here, and there’s only seven tracks. Some of the elements alone are decent and listenable, Mordlust is a solid track, but just kind of drags on. However, as a whole, the record does not work for me at all. Very disappointing based on the single I heard. As always, listen for yourself, but this is one that I wish I could take back.

(2.5 / 5)