Being the manager of a large arcade, you’d correctly imagine that summer has been kicking my keister. Consequently, this review is late, and not in a “I had it written, and Steel took his sweet time getting its glory to the masses” way.1 This one is my fault altogether, such that I almost let it slip through the cracks and gave it the TYMHM treatment. And yet, I cannot. International outfit (by way of Sweden and Italy) Feralia have quietly come out with a release which has enticed and enthralled me, warts and all, til I felt spiritually obligated to make sure I spoke of its darkness in a semi-timely manner. Third album Ultima Requies has been released, and while ostensibly black metal, it draws from so many colors within its palette that it makes for a quality and engaging listen.
In a stunning, fist-shaking gesture of defiance to AMG HQ procedures appropriate for my country celebrating the 4th of July, I’m gonna knock the whining out of the way up front. Ultima Requies has a lot of clean vocals, and not all of them stick the landing. Opening track “Ballata Avernale” is the worst offender, where the vocals don’t so much transition as much as startle with an effort at a baritone reminiscent of modern Mayhem but with a much more jarring, disjointed presentation. They do get smoother as the album unfolds; “Defigere” in particular manages to hit a particularly mournful tone about halfway through which fits quite well. Nevertheless, they’re easily the part that takes the longest to warm up to, and Feralia needs to improve their ability to mesh this element in with their overall sound.
The good news is Feralia has such a masterful command of textures that you shouldn’t let this get in the way of your enjoyment. Ultima Requies utilizes an excessive breadth of extra instrumentation ranging from organs (“Ballata Avernale”) to synthy choirs to acoustic guitars to a full-blown Beard-bait-dudgeon-synth-adjacent interlude (“Emperio”), and not one of them feels forced or uncalled for. While there aren’t any riffs here that could be classified as life-changing, the band exercise a mastery of flow from requisite crushing power to melancholic, introspective calm without missing a step. Ultima Requies is an excellent example of an album with a journey, escorting the listener across brief dollops of straightforward Havukruunu charge, and occasional Fell Omen riffs by way of mid-era Immortal tones, assembled between and around calmer moments of introspective peace with the arrangement skill of Nechochwen. Listeners should not come in expecting hellfire and suffering, but also not a lovely waltz through the woods; here there be thunderstorms and toppled statues as much as peace and serenity.
This defiance of easy classification is the most enticing thing about Ultima Requies. It isn’t so overtly assaulting as to be called a blackened slab of violence; nor does it rely on its interludes and peaceful moments enough to properly be classified as atmospheric. It has some whiffs of dissonance, trying to channel the most Omega of Deathspells (“Ver Sacrum”), but these moments collapse into bass-led melody as quick as they appear. Said bass, courtesy of member Krhura is given a lot of spotlight, with the guitars sometimes turned down for him to take complete sonic command in the stylings of more modern Krallice. Occasional leads pop up in the spirit of less flashy Aran Angmar but always with a focus on raw atmosphere and emotion rather than the slaughter of one’s enemies. Despite this constant carousel of mood and tone, Feralia have offered up a cohesive, well-assembled work which refuses to be limited by its genre labels despite working well within its established ideas.
Ultima Requies is a confusing album in the best possible sense. Not content to merely make you headbang, but also not trying to drag you into depression; not so evil as to make you throw horns but hardly giving in to anything that could be considered light and joy, it is a kaleidoscope of sound under a black metal umbrella. Driving home at two in the morning, exhausted from ten hours of exposure to the cacophony of screaming children, it hits different. Feralia have offered a great encapsulation of power spent, of the peace after the storm, with enough sparks of remaining spirit and might to invigorate as much as soothe and relax. That’s a rare treat in the realm of black metal, and in this abominable heat and exhausting season, it’s worthy of your time.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: Lost to time | Format Reviewed: Bandcamp stream
Label: Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum
Website: Album Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: June 26th, 2026
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