Navigating You Through the Progressive Underground

Style: post black (harsh vocals)
Review by: Dylan
Country: Sweden
Release date: 13-01-2019

NOTE: This album was originally included in Reports from the (progressive metal) underground: January 2019 – The Progressive Subway

As frequent readers may already know, I’m quite the fan of blending post/shoegaze rock with black metal. This mixture of beautiful textured sensations and spine chilling black metal vocals wrapped around tremolo picking and blast beats feels just right.

A post black band doesn’t need to innovate much because the formula is already too complex to experiment with. So, as long as the artist understands the strengths of the genre and exploits them to the max, they’re bound to (in my opinion) be fantastic. With all of this in mind, I’m happy to report that An Oblivion Above meets all of my expectations for the genre.

Together to the Stars made a gorgeous album. This is very dreamy post black, similar to Møl‘s 2018 release, Jord. They both share this snowy/heavenly atmosphere, with high shrieks as vocals. Kind of feels like I’m listening to a man singing in a place that’s all white, desperate to get out of this place, regardless of how heavenly it feels. The build up-climax formula of post rock is used to the max here, and with great effect. I’m not gonna spoil when it happens, but there’s one particular climax that was so fantastic it elevated my general thoughts on the album. It was unlike anything I’ve ever heard, and it left me completely amazed.

That alone, plus everything present on the album, should convince you that this is a release you shouldn’t sleep on.


Recommended tracks: Timeless, Apathy
Recommended for fans of: Møl, Alcest, Deafheaven
Final verdict: 8.5/10

Related links:  Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Metal-Archives page

Label: Northern Silence Productions – Bandcamp | Website | Facebook

Together to the Stars is:
– David Steinmarck (All instruments)
– Franco Fuentes (Vocals)


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