Eminentia Tenebris - Whispers of the Undying

Angry Metal Guy 60

I love black metal. But there are some black metal tropes that just don’t do it for me. I also love power metal. But there are some power metal tropes that just don’t do it for me. And it’s because of this that melodic black metal is, in my mind, a fantastic genre of music. It takes everything that’s great about black metal, most of the things that are great about power metal, and runs with them. So it’s with mild surprise that I found Eminentia Tenebris, a melodic/atmospheric black metal duo from France, are already on their fourth full-length for the style (since only 2020, no less), and I’ve been missing out! Lured in by the promise of heroic, exciting black metal, I’ve been listening to Whispers of the Undying, said fourth full-length, for a couple of weeks now. I came in with (perhaps unfairly) high expectations—how did it hold up?

Straightaway, Eminentia Tenebris demonstrate the confidence of veteran musicians in their approach to their music. Clocking it at a mere 35 minutes, Whispers of the Undying is filled to the absolute brim with heroic, galloping black metal—as advertised! Opener “Forever Etched” is where most bands would put an epic, synth/orchestral opener to set up the mood for the next 34 minutes. Eminetia Tenebris have no time for all that. They spent the full minute and a half of the song blast beating, tremolo riffing, and screaming as if from the mountaintop. It’s grand, sweeping, and exactly what you can expect through the rest of Whispers of the Undying. Erroiak’s vocals are dominant; he roars atop blistering black metal assaults as if he’s been here since the beginning¹. Cyo, the project founder, contributes drums, guitars, and synths, which are generally understated, but do a lot to add to the epic feel of the music… and make no mistake, there is epic-feeling music about here.

Whispers of the Undying by Eminentia Tenebris

This might be a good spot to dissect the makeup of certain songs, but the truth is that Eminentia Tenebris are fairly consistent throughout Whispers of the Undying. Songs are driven primarily by adventurous tremolo leads and propped up by synthesized strings and horns in places where an epic swell would feel right. “Echoes of Triumph” is fun but slightly restrained, a palate cleanser ahead of chaotic forays like “Marching as One.” “Embers of Glory” switches things up by using clean chants in place of synths, while “Beneath the Moon” is bookended with acoustic guitars that serve as a welcome break between songs that are of similar lengths and styles. Cryo’s musical talent is impressive, and Erroiak’s vocals are a very strong pairing; every song has a distinct lead and vocal approach that makes the 35-minute album feel just slightly longer, a sign of good music through and through.

I’m also impressed with the production on Whispers of the Undying—and surprised, as my samples from Eminentia Tenebris’s previous releases left me worried on this front. The heavy, fuzzy, in-your-face stylings of Rise of a New Kingdom are gone; instead, Whispers of the Undying has a great deal of breathing room baked in. This feels very important for a couple of reasons: firstly, that it is far easier to feel excited and adventurous in a balanced mix, and secondly, that a lot of the songs on Whispers of the Undying work across similar lengths, paces, and themes. The mid-album duo of “Beneath the Moon” and “Through Chaos and Shadow” end up feeling a touch forgettable as a result—I can’t recall either as I’m typing—but while listening, I’m never bored, drifting off, or losing focus, and that is thanks in part to the fact that they sound good, that their adventurous spirit shines through the master and lands effectively for the listener.

Whispers of the Undying is fun. It does, seemingly, exactly what it sets out to do in building an exciting, uplifting sound rooted in aggressive, powerful black metal. While I may wish for a touch more variety in the material, there isn’t a bad song in the bunch, and never a dull moment, which alone is enough for me to recommend the experience. If, like me, you enjoy black metal that’s more on the fun side than the angry one, Eminentia Tenebris is well worth looking into.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Antiq Records
Websites: eminentiatenebris.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/EminentiaTenebris
Releases Worldwide: July 4th, 2025

The post Eminentia Tenebris – Whispers of the Undying Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.