The first thing that struck me when I listened to Ancient Moss in a Veil of Fog by Nocturnal Vengeance was ferocity tinged with tenderness. I know, I know — that sounds like a weird-ass thing to say about an EP that’s as Black Metal as it gets, but hear me out.
This five-track beast is the work of Nighthowler, the man behind this one-man project, and it’s a fucking study in contrasts. On one hand, you’ve got sheer aggression — balls-to-the-wall tremolo picking, drumming that sounds like someone’s smashing tin cans in a washing machine, and vocals so strangulated they could probably choke a goat at fifty paces. On the other hand, you’ve got moments that are… tender. Haunting. Thoughtful. Moments that make you pause, pull your corpse paint away from your eyes, and actually breathe.
Take To Conquer the Night, the opener — it’s a furious statement of intent, a storm of razor-edged riffs that makes it instantly clear Nocturnal Vengeance doesn’t fuck about. Then comes Wolves of the Black Mountain, a complete swerve that works better than you’d think. Two minutes of nothing but acoustic guitar. No blast beats. No shrieks. Just a sparse, melancholic guitar piece that feels like being lost in an ancient forest where the trees are whispering secrets to you. It’s bold. It’s unsettling. And it works.
That dynamic contrast runs through the entire EP. Conspiring with Ominous Entities is pure Black Metal chaos — relentless, oppressive, and intoxicating in its darkness — before Ancient Moss in a Veil of Fog itself slows things down into something far more atmospheric. Organ swells, tremulous whispers, and haunting female vocals create something that’s almost cinematic, conjuring imagery of fog-soaked mountains and unseen horrors lurking just out of sight. It’s a track that drips with mood, and it shows that Nighthowler isn’t just interested in assaulting ears — he wants to tell a story.
The closer, Cursed to Wander, is the crown jewel. Clocking in at seven minutes, it’s epic in scope that blends the tremolo fury of Black Metal with cinematic atmosphere, almost like a requiem for the damned. It’s immersive, chilling, and utterly dripping in shadow.
What makes Ancient Moss in a Veil of Fog so impressive is not just the quality of the music, but the risk it takes. Giving over two of five tracks to mood pieces in an EP is a gamble, especially in a genre built on speed and aggression, but Nighthowler pulls it off brilliantly. It turns what could have been a collection of tracks into a coherent journey — a small, dark odyssey that leaves a lasting impression.
This isn’t just raw Black Metal. It’s Black Metal with nuance, with atmosphere, with heart buried under frost and bone.
Ancient Moss in a Veil of Fog is available from the Nocturnal Vengeance Bandcamp page.
CHOICE CUT: Cursed to Wander
BLACK METAL ARCHIVES VERDICT: A brutal yet beautiful excursion into the heart of Black Metal. Ancient Moss in a Veil of Fog is a masterclass in balance — raw aggression tempered by haunting atmosphere. Nocturnal Vengeance doesn’t just play Black Metal; he sculpts it, and the result is a dark, immersive, unforgettable experience.
