Artwork by: Krystian Jurkiewicz

Style: Atmospheric black metal, post-black metal, blackgaze (mixed vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Harakiri for the Sky, The Ruins of Beverast, Deafheaven
Country: Poland
Release date: 29 January 2026

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Whoever it was that first said not to judge a book by its cover clearly didn’t understand people and had never looked at the front of a book. Judging the cover is a given; the same applies to album art. For example, if the record flaunts a grotesque mass of putrid tendrils making up an unnatural semblance of a human being, then it’s probably a sludge or death metal album. Naturally, upon first glance at the cover of In lumine lunae, latest album from Krystian Jurkiewicz’s solo project Viamaer, the judging commenced. With the cover’s elegant blue flower climbing through and above a crescent moon while specks of crimson splatter in the background, I was surprised to find that the album was black metal. Can In lumine lunae continue to subvert expectations, or will this flower wilt before it reaches maturity?

In lumine lunae draws you in with “In excitatione terrae,” which begins with a simple riff that lulls you into a false sense of security before the drums burst onto the scene and the blending of the two commences. Jurkiewicz’s vocals mirror this, starting with tenderness only to welcomingly blindside you with some throaty screams; the track is an enjoyable start to be sure. The album brings to mind the somber intense soundscapes of Harakiri for the Sky, but with a greater emphasis on clean vocals. Jurkiewicz’s emotional cleans ring out amidst the darkened atmosphere, only for his guttural screams to pierce the gloom like an arrow slicing through fog.

The title track continues along the same format: a riff and continuously louder drums roll in to start, followed by a mix of cleans and shrill highs on top of guitar-heavy atmosphere that blindsides you with a sudden increase of speed before fading out at the end. This structure works well for a couple songs, but it quickly gets overdone. Almost every track plays out too similarly and while individually they would make great singles, bunch them all together and they buckle under the repetitive structure. The only song that doesn’t fall prey to this same formatting is “Ultra insaniam,” which acts as a gentler instrumental interlude—a tasteful little break, but inessential. 

An aspect that teeters between excellent and questionable is the production. There are plenty of times where the production is meticulously crafted, like on “Haec vox” where none of the instruments get overshadowed and are given proper time to play around in the soundscape; the result is a fine-tuned highlight of the album. Other songs, like finale “Smaragdus somnium,” tend to have some foggy sections where the production value falters, most noticeably around the minute and a half mark where the guitars fight for the spotlight with the drums. The production is passable for being a one-man job, but hopefully in the future there won’t be those murky moments sneaking their way in. 

Like a hibiscus, In lumine lunae is pretty but fleeting. As it loses its elegant bloom in the span of just one day, In lumine lunae loses its splendor at a similar pace. Ultimately, songs end up sounding too similar and bleed into one another. Despite Jurkiewicz’s strong vocals and enjoyable riffs, the album doesn’t stand out all that much. By the halfway point, In lumine lunae sadly becomes monotonous background noise, with the full thing lacking replay value or memorability. The best flowers in the garden can stand the test of time and remain beautiful each time they blossom. Compared to other flowers in the field, In lumine lunae blooms too quickly and wilts before it can leave a lasting impression. If you want flowers to display, it may be best to pick ones that reflourish.

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Recommended tracks: In excitatione terrae, Haec Vox, Magna paranoia
You may also like: Elderwind, Asunojokei
Final verdict: 5/10

Related links: Facebook | Instagram

Label: Independent

Viamaer is:
– Krystian Jurkiewicz (everything)