Starscourge - Conqueror of the Stars – Betwixt Sundered Seraphim, the Lands Between Bleed

Angry Metal Guy

Fromsoftware’s behemoth action-RPG Elden Ring is an enigma. How a game so obtuse, difficult, and uniquely itself in its visuals and storytelling became the blockbuster that it is baffles me, and it’s one of those precious pieces of art that simply makes me happy to live in the same world as it. It’s also metal as anything can be. Bands like Fell Omen have tapped into the game’s mythology for inspiration before and, now, the international blackened death duo Starscourge enter the fray with their debut Conqueror of the Stars – Betwixt Sundered Seraphim, the Lands Between Bleed. Promising serious riffage and an emphasis on storytelling, instrumentalist Zul Bharoocha (Sweden) and vocalist Mithun MK (Singapore) have already overcome one great obstacle by getting this thing made at all. But what did Starscourge achieve with Conqueror of the Stars…? I doubt you could even imagine it…

Conqueror of the Stars…’s full title is comically verbose, but it foreshadows the sheer opulent regality exuded by Starscourge. The band masterfully captures Elden Ring’s demi-deific power struggle through massive riff-craft supported by extravagant (synth) orchestration and choir. “Ranni’s Requiem – A Night of Black Knives” imposes regal grandiosity through overwhelming choirs and guitar leads, while the weight with which “The Battle of Aeonia” heaves itself feels genuinely symphonic. “Athwart Hereditary Taint, Thence Doth the Valkyrie Ride” wields a wonderful balance of airy dueling guitars and piano and blistering, throat-shredding black metal, standing in contrast to the maniacal, overtly evil decadence of “Together, My Serpentine Valentine” immediately following. Even the Slayer cover “Spirit in Black” sounds opulent, imbuing MK’s Araya impersonation with the arrogant pomp suited to a Golden Order lord of Elden Ring. If you like your metal as haughty as it is heavy, Starscourge is your band and Conqueror of the Stars… is your album.

Athwart Hereditary Taint, Thence Doth The Valkyrie Ride by Starscourge

Conqueror of the Stars… may reek of vainglory and overwriting, but don’t be fooled: Starscourge are exhilarating. Bharoocha’s riffs tap into the fullest majesty of black metal (“The Shattering”) and melodeath’s sharpest hooks (“I Am the Starscourge”), even indulging in NWOBHM-isms on “The Battle of Aeonia.” MK’s growls resemble a mix of Aeternam’s Achraf Loudiy and Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, while his cleans recall both Borknagar’s ICS Vortex and, when he breaks out the falsettos, King Diamond. Conqueror of the Stars… rages from start to finish,¹ whether by propulsive chops on “Whereunto Frenzy Beckoneth” or furious tremolos on “Destiny’s Dastardly Dynasty,” and Bharoocha’s leads and solos approach Moonlight Sorcery levels of show-off-ness in their technicality (“Blessings Upon the Golden Throne”). Starscourge also prove expert editors, as everything but “The Battle of Aeonia” sits tight at three to four minutes of no fat, all muscle goodness.² Starscourge could’ve afforded to put on some weight, as both “Blessings Upon the Golden Order” and “I Am the Starscourge” end somewhat anticlimactically. Like Elden Ring, Conqueror of the Stars… brings the goods in great quantity without resorting to padding.

But there’s no avoiding Starscourge’s Achilles heel: insistence upon voice acting. Opener “Betwixt Sundered Seraphim…” sees Starscourge read off one of Elden Ring’s trailer scripts in an unconvincing Shakespearean inflection over boring synths, failing to either achieve the dramatic pulse of the original read or excite the listener. This is the least offensive spoken word moment on the album, however, because it at least doesn’t distract from a good instrumental. Too often, a bruising riff (“Destiny’s Dastardly Dynasty”), half a solo (“The Shattering”), or a slow build-up (“The Battle of Aeonia”) is buried under cringey monologue that doesn’t immerse the listener into the story any better than a compelling instrumental could’ve. Given voice acting’s prominent role in Conqueror of the Stars…, it’s clear that Starscourge think of it as an integral factor of their style. I don’t. It’s boring, a bit silly, and stands in conflict with the rest of the music. Conqueror of the Stars… is already an engrossing, deeply dramatic record without it, so why insist upon it?³

But even with Starscourge’s voice acting woes, not to mention less-than-thrilling mixing and mastering,⁴ Conqueror of the Stars – Betwixt Sundered Seraphim, the Lands Between Bleed is a monumentally entertaining record. Both grandiose and lean, the few but notable hiccups this album has just barely held my hand from shattering the Score Safety Box one last time this year. Whether you abide by the frenzy of black metal or live in death, or just really like Elden Ring, Conqueror of the Stars… is an easy recommendation. Bear witness!

Rating: Very Good…
DR: 6… | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps MP3…
Label: Self-Release…
Websites: facebook.com/official.starscourge | starscourgeofficial.bandcamp.com …
Releases Worldwide: December 19th, 2025…

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