Aptly titled, A Union of Spectres brings together two of Finnish black metal's most elite modern bands. Though two different kind of beasts, the bands share more than meets the eye; some of the these ties go back to the years of adolescence, when the will to create dark art drew breath for the first time. In recent years, both AETHYRICK and MARRAS have come to redefine the Finnish black metal paradigm. Mystical, otherworldly, deeply entrenched in a second-wave foundation but by no means lazily nostalgic: A Union of Spectres presents poignant evidence of both bands' continuing mastery.

Beyond its symbolic title, A Union of Spectres includes three brand-new tracks each from AETHYRICK and MARRAS. AETHYRICK begin the record with their by-now-characteristic sound: yearning and even a bit bittersweet, a sumptuous swoon of stargazing majesty gracefully glides effortlessly into one's soul. That the duo can move at mostly mid-tempo gait, regal but not without energy, and have it feel dizzying and dynamic underlines just how potent their spells are. MARRAS follow with an equally potent spell, one that's equal parts feverish violence and cinematic atmosphere. Nodding to the filthier end of the Finnish idiom, MARRAS create a blizzard of sound that soon opens up to reveal haunting, incredibly icy corridors – exceptionally layered, ethereal synths straddling the line between symphonic and cosmic. A Union of Spectres indeed!

Spread Evil.