Album 0045: Summoning – Nightshade Forests

Release Date: 1997
Genre: Black Metal

Tracklisting:

1. Mirkwood (09:45)
2. Kortirion Among The Trees (08:51)
3. Flesh And Blood (07:55)
4. Habbanan Beneath The Stars (07:14)

Total Length: 33:45

This EP is a collection of songs that were left off of the band’s album Dol Guldur because it was too long to fit on a single CD. Mirkwood starts off with a great melody, and builds up. The thing I love most about Summoning’s music is that it creates soundscapes while not just being new age-y. There are still structures and these are still identifiable songs, but the atmosphere they create is something pretty amazing.

Kortirion Among The Trees has a really neat main melody, and while the piano is cheesy it works well. I just love getting lost and entranced in this band’s music. Flesh And Blood is fairly cool, but it doesn’t have any parts that are as catchy as the first two tracks. Habbanan Beneath The Stars is pretty neat, I enjoy the synths used. This EP is pretty cool, I’m sure these songs would have been better used when integrated into a full album, but they are good here on their own as well.

Final Rating: 8/10