REVIEW

The second album from Austrian solo project ELLEREVE.

ELLEREVE is the project of multi-instrumentalist Elisa Giulia Teschner. The name combines “El,” drawn from her given name, with “Reve,” derived from reveal, while also encompassing the French phrase elle rêve (“she dreams”). Titled “Umbra”—Latin for “shadow”—the album frames shadow as a mirror of the self, tracing a process of confronting and ultimately accepting one’s inner world.

Sonically, the record appears to channel the influence of artists such as Agalloch, Amenra, and Holy Fawn, translating their sensibilities into a personal vocabulary. Ritualistic undertones rooted in traditional folk are layered with the dense textures of post-metal, shoegaze, and black metal, with blast beats and screamed vocals deployed boldly. The dynamic contrast between stillness and overwhelming volume suggests a heightened sense of catharsis, rendering buried emotions with a striking immediacy.

Guest contributions from Michael J.J. Kogler (Harakiri for the Sky) and David “Eklatanz” Conrad (Heretoir), alongside mastering by Markus Stock (Empyrium), add further depth, connecting the work to a broader lineage within the European dark metal sphere.

A key moment arrives with the lead single, #7 “The Veil of Your Death.”Built around black metal–style rapid-fire drumming, the track juxtaposes J.J.’s visceral screams with Elisa’s clean vocals, unfolding with a dramatic midsection that briefly withdraws into quietude before surging back. Elsewhere, #3 “Crawl” emphasizes a sinking, weight-laden post-metal presence, while #9 “Lost in Longings” recalls a more pastoral and delicate melodic sensibility, resonating like a quiet plea for light.

Across its shifting compositions, the album brings into focus the instability and complexity of the human psyche. Heard in solitude—particularly within the stillness of night—it may serve as a conduit for engaging with personal conflict, anger, or trauma, and, perhaps, for moving toward a sense of release.

Listeners drawn to the worlds of Dead Can Dance, Shedfromthebody, or Chelsea Wolfe will find this work compelling.