Album Review: Enlightened By Darkness by In Shadows And Dust
Alright, so here’s the deal—Enlightened By Darkness is one of those albums that sneaks up on you. At first glance, it’s just another metal album from France, released back in 2018 under Redefining Darkness Records. But man, once you dive into it, this thing feels like a punch to the gut in all the right ways. It's got that raw Black Metal vibe mixed with some Death Metal grit, and honestly? It works. Big time.
First off, let’s talk about Stephane Thirion, who basically wears ALL the hats here—he writes the songs, plays the instruments, screams his lungs out, and even pens the lyrics. Dude must’ve been living and breathing this project for months because every track has this obsessive attention to detail. The artwork (shoutout to Manel-Sone Ollé Chin) matches the whole dark, brooding aesthetic perfectly—it’s haunting without being over-the-top cheesy.
Now onto the music itself. There are two tracks I can’t stop thinking about: Beloved Darkness and Maëlys. Let me break ‘em down real quick.
Beloved Darkness kicks things off with this slow-burning intro that builds tension like crazy. You know when you’re watching a horror movie and you just know something bad’s gonna happen? That’s what this song feels like. The guitars are heavy as hell but not overproduced, which keeps everything feeling organic. And then there’s Stephane’s vocals—they’re raw, raspy, and full of emotion. Not your typical “cookie monster” growls; these feel personal, almost desperate. By the time the chorus hits, you’re hooked. Like, legit hooked. It’s the kind of song that makes you wanna bang your head while staring into the void at 3 AM.
Then there’s Maëlys, especially the intro version. This one hits different. It starts super minimalistic, almost peaceful, before dropping this crushing wave of distortion. It’s kinda beautiful in a messed-up way, y’know? The contrast between the soft beginning and the chaos that follows sticks with you. Plus, the title gives it this eerie mystique—I don’t know who or what Maëlys refers to, but it sounds tragic. Like, Shakespeare-tragic. Props to Stephane for making a song that feels both intimate and epic.
Oh, and how could I forget Dawn Of A New Day? Wait, wait—is that twice on the tracklist? Yeah, seriously, they put it in there TWICE. Is it intentional? A mistake? Either way, it adds this weird déjà vu effect that fits the chaotic energy of the album. Kinda genius if you think about it.
One more thing worth mentioning—the mastering by John Bart Van Der Wal deserves a nod. A lot of underground metal albums sound muddy AF, but this one’s clear enough to hear every little detail without losing its filthy edge. Respect.
So yeah, Enlightened By Darkness isn’t perfect. Some parts drag a bit, and maybe having two versions of the same song was a bold move that doesn’t fully land. But damn, does it have soul. Listening to this album feels like stepping into someone else’s nightmare—and isn’t that kinda the point of metal anyway?
Final thought: If you ever find yourself lost in a forest at night with only your phone for company, queue this album up. Just don’t blame me if the trees start whispering back.
