Romantic sublimity. It’s the idea that something in nature or art can be both wondrous and terrifying. Few bands capture this feeling as vividly as Yellow Eyes. Led by the Skarstad brothers, the New York band has explored this duality across their catalog—from the more straightforward black metal of Silence Threads the Evening’s Cloth (2012) and Sick With Bloom (2015), to the atmospheric and dissonant soundscapes of Immersion Trench Reverie (2017) and Rare Field Ceiling (2019), and even the dungeon synth/dark ambient territory of Master’s Murmur (2023). Throughout these records, their alien guitar work, uncanny melodic sense, ability to craft music that is both beautiful and oppressive, and obsessive attention to aesthetic detail have made Yellow Eyes one of the most exciting contemporary black metal acts. Now, 6 years removed from their last “proper” black metal record, Yellow Eyes have returned with Confusion Gate, a surprise release and one of the last albums on the legendary underground label Gilead Media. They’ve also casually released one of the best black metal albums of the decade.

The best way to describe Confusion Gate is that Yellow Eyes have returned to a more traditional atmospheric black metal sound, but have taken with them all of the lessons from the albums they’ve produced since. Compositions are expansive and built on the standard black metal foundation (blast beats, tremelos, kvlt shrieking) but are imbued with a stunning sense of hypnotic melody from synths, nature sound effects, and layers of luminous guitars. The classic Krallice-like Skarstad guitar work, which defies all conventional logic, appears plenty here, but it’s nested in a sea of gorgeous harmonies. Songs introduce motifs, develop them, and return to them in a way that resembles classical composition, creating a cohesive and deeply textured sonic journey. Confusion Gate captures the Thoreau-tinged naturalism from Cascadian black metal legends Agalloch and Wolves In The Throne Room, runs them through the kaleidoscopic filter of Trhä, and finishes them with the distinctive melodic dissonance of Yellow Eyes. The result is an immaculate realization of the band’s sound that feels at once familiar and utterly novel.

In many ways, Confusion Gate feels like the full realization of the potential hinted at by Master’s Murmur. Several standout tracks (“Brush the Frozen Horse,” “Suspension Moon,” “I Fear the Master’s Murmur”) interpolate haunting melodies from their 2023 dungeon synth album gorgeously, elevating them to sublime heights at the center of these dynamic and powerful compositions. Combined with a series of subdued interludes, the record takes on the shape of a complete, carefully sculpted work. Across full listens, I find myself lulled into a dark, reflective haze by the album’s more brooding passages (“The Scent of Black Mud,” “A Forgotten Corridor”), only to be jolted awake by moments of startling beauty. For an hour-plus black metal album, there are no pacing issues, just a masterful display of contrast and tension that culminates in the breathtaking, blissful climax of the title track. All of this is rendered with a warm, crunchy analog texture, the result of a fully self-recorded and self-produced effort that defiantly rejects the oppressive polish of so many modern releases. Every synth line, kick drum hit, and ethereal guitar figure feels alive and organic in a way few contemporary records do.

It’s hard for me to adequately convey my thoughts on Confusion Gate because Yellow Eyes has produced a record that transcends the traditional logic that we analyze music with. When I’m listening to this album, I just experience a raw outpouring of feeling and emotion beyond what most art has the ability to convey. It’s a stunning achievement that stands as a testament to the sheer pathos music can conjure and it’s one of the best black metal records of the decade.

Songs To Check Out: “Brush the Frozen Horse,” “The Thought of Death,” “I Fear the Master’s Murmur,” “Confusion Gate”

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