The return of true Finnish darkness: Review of Vargrav latest release

If you’ve been following the symphonic black metal underground lately, you already know that Vargrav is one of the few bands actually making the genre feel dangerous again. The Finnish project—led by V-KhaoZ and now featuring Werwolf—has spent years perfecting that icy, ’90s Norwegian vibe without it feeling like a stale history lesson. Their fourth album, “Dimension: Daemonium”, drops on April 17, 2026, via Werewolf Records, and it’s a massive step forward.

The album opens with a simple warning: “You are not prepared.” It’s a gutsy way to start, but they absolutely back it up. As soon as the first track, “Ablaze Upon Nocturnal Realms,” kicks in, it acts as a summary for the entire record. You get the grit of the vocals and pounding drums mixed with symphonic elements that don’t just decorate the song—they collide with the metal in a way that feels genuinely grand. If this track doesn’t hook you immediately, nothing will.

What really stands out to me is the synth work. It’s meticulous and colours every song with an ethereal, haunting mood. These aren’t just background pads; the synths are structural, shifting the weight and atmosphere of the music in real time. It has that dense, ambitious feel of early Emperor, but Vargrav applies it with their own unique stamp.

The tone takes a dark, monstrous turn with “Dragon of Nightmare.” The vibe shifts from cosmic to something much more ancient. The vocals here are incredible—they sound less like a human and more like a demon that’s been trapped in a castle cellar for centuries, finally getting the chance to speak. It adds a theatrical, mythological aspect to the album that you just don’t hear often enough.

With eight tracks, “Dimension: Daemonium” doesn’t compromise for a second. In a genre that can sometimes feel stuck in the past, Vargrav has made something that feels alive.

Traclist:

1. Intro (Thy Daemonium)
2. Ablaze upon the Nocturnal Realms
3. Moonfrost Storms
4. Dragons of Nightmare
5. The Gates of My Dimension
6. Bleeding Galaxies
7. Starlight Chalice
8. Unveil the Enslavement of Lunar Prophefecies