What should one expect from a solo woman vampiric death metal experience? Well, the anticipated blast of wintery sickness is in full effect: you’ll certainly feel the aftermath of passages of paralysing blackness and protracted screams of torment. Carmilla II Dracul, recording as Winter Lantern, has been here before, and is a skilled technician on guitar, drums, vocals, synths, and field recordings – Interlude – Alisson’s Blood was recorded live in a cemetery. The relentless cruelty does let up, and the gothic chill becomes more nuanced: as the light arrives in Blazing Dawn the guitars take on a spectrum of shimmering shades and the final ritualistic throes turn the earth to bright red crimson.
