Band:	Celestial Annihilator
Album:	Annihilation For Esoteric Nascency
Style:	Atmospheric black metal
Release date:	August 2023

01. Protocluster
02. Eternal Flames Of Doom
03. Infinite Void
04. Perishing Sphere
05. Birth Of Magnetar
06. Beyond The Heliosphere
07. Cosmic Grave

This is the Celestial Annihilator's path to Annihilation For Esoteric Nascency, which is a bit of a mouthful; in other words, hold on tight, as this is going to be a voyage from out of this world!

Celestial Annihilator (circa 2021) is a newly formed South Korean (yes, South Korea is now on the map for black metal artists too) atmospheric black metal act masterminded by sole member Sohn Kyungho (aka Pandemonius), also known as the guitarist for Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy (in which he goes by the name Senyt). With 42-minute full-length debut album Annihilation For Esoteric Nascency, which features a total of seven tracks (including the one-minute intro "Protocluster" and mid-way interval "Perishing Sphere"), you may think from the band name, track titles and stunning cover art that there is a cosmic-themed setting for this album's concept, and if so, then you'd be completely right. Now, I'm sure most of you familiar with the atmospheric black metal sub-genre would know Celestial Annihilator aren't exactly new to bringing cosmic/sci-fi themes to the genre; Mesarthim, Mare Cognitum, Spectral Lore, and Midnight Odyssey are all prime examples of doing just that. So, what makes Celestial Annihilator any different or special from those bands I mentioned? Well, the project itself isn't all that different really, but Pandemonius certainly does bring a touch of his own art and magic to the equation.

The album starts off with the eerie sci-fi-sounding electronic intro, "Protocluster", which lasts for only one short minute before suddenly being interrupted by the first main track, "Eternal Flames Of Doom". This track begins with furious blast beats and frenzied tremolos from the off, shortly before being introduced to Pandemonius's menacing blackened shrieks. One could say that there's nothing out of the ordinary at this early stage of the track (from a standard traditional black metal perspective, that is), but that's only until the synths kick in. It's through the synth work that the atmosphere really takes its hold, and this key element remains present throughout the entirety of the album's runtime. The rhythm slows down momentarily on several occasions also, allowing the synths to take control over the instrumentation, and it's here that you can really feel the album's intended cosmic vibe. The next song, "Infinite Void", sends you on an even more epic intergalactic voyage; the riff melody is more striking than on the previous track, the synth work is mesmerizing to say the least, and the furious blast beats continue to pound away relentlessly. The blackened shrieks, although not out of the ordinary, manage to retain a sense of passion and spirit.

From here on in, the voyage into the deep, unknown abyss of the cosmic void continues. Through the tracks "Birth Of Magnetar", and "Beyond The Heliosphere", listeners are met by powerfully driven rabid rhythms, hypnotic melodic riffs, and the all-important cosmic-themed synth work, with short atmospheric interludes to help your mind wander this way and that. These are all fairly impressive tracks, although not utterly mind-blowing or highly memorable when compared with what the closing ten-minute epic "Cosmic Grave" has in store. This final track sends the listener into the deepest, darkest regions of the cosmos, having your imagination racing this way and that, mainly thanks to the impressive synth work, but also helped by the galloping rhythms and repetitively hypnotic riffs. Ok, it's a good track at this point, but again nothing that we haven't heard from what the album's already offered up to this point, but eight minutes in is where the real treat lies. The final part of the closing track is a more than ideal way to close the album; it's as if the deep space voyage is finally nearing its end as you imagine yourself gradually fading away into the deepest, darkest, depths of no return, and this will now be the perfect time to stare into the centre of that wonderful cover art and feel oneself drifting closer to that red (seemingly dying) star at the centre.

To sum it all up, the cosmic-themed concept that Celestial Annihilator brings to atmospheric black metal is nothing new, but regardless of originality, this one-man mastermind sends you on a journey to remember on this impressive full-length debut Annihilation For Esoteric Nascency. Yes, this is only the debut, so if you like what you hear, stay tuned for more deep space exploration into the deepest depths of the unknown in the near future. Who knows where Celestial Annihilator will take you next.