Abyssal Forest: The Great Day Of His Wrath |

The Black Metal Ceremony

(2026 – Soundmass)

Black Metal is a genre that has branched out into different styles—sometimes successfully, sometimes turning into a mess—but in most cases, it has managed to preserve the essence of its musical origins.
Abyssal Forest is a good example of this, and we could even describe it with a label distinct from everything we’ve been hearing in the realm of extreme metal; while terms like “melodic Black Metal” or “atmospheric Black Metal” might best explain their style, the truth is that “ceremonial” and “extreme” are the two characteristics that stand out most in this album titled “The Great Day Of His Wrath.”
This project, formed in Brazil around 2017, has released the occasional single and the EP “Além Da Grande Vasta Floresta”—entirely sung in Portuguese—in 2019. Now it’s time for a greater challenge: their first full-length album and a change in the language used. English seems to be the ideal medium for Abyssal Forest, and it will undoubtedly open many doors for them.
In any case, what stands out about “The Great Day Of His Wrath” is a more or less well-conceived concept where everything flows in the same direction, and that in itself is a strong point to consider. The overall atmosphere feels apocalyptic yet ceremonial—if I may use that term—and we could even define Abyssal Forest as “Ceremonial Black Metal”, which would better explain not only their musical background but also the concept behind this album. Its foundation is Black Metal—fast, furious, and with some elements influenced by a touch of Doom—but what stands out most is the orchestration and skillful handling of harmonies and melodies within each track.
“The Great Day Of His Wrath” is an album with just 7 tracks, throughout which Abyssal Forest develops a rather hopeful vision amid the apocalyptic chaos depicted both musically and lyrically. Abyssal Forest conveys this theme through both music and lyrics.
Furthermore, this is one of those cases where a single person is behind the entire recording—or nearly so. In this instance, it’s Anderson Albuquerque, who handles vocals, bass, guitars, and the orchestration. Laye Louhenapessy contributes on drums, but ultimately, it’s Albuquerque who handles almost everything, as has often been the case lately.

Naturally, “The Great Day Of His Wrath” has a rather well-conceived conceptual framework, so it’s no surprise that the first track, “The Awakening”, serves as a sort of cinematic introduction that immerses us in the atmosphere Abyssal Forest sets forth with this album; a prophetic proclamation accompanies this “intro,” which leads us directly into the album’s first track.
That first track is actually “Divide Wisdom”, which embodies the melodic, harmonic, and orchestral vibe that Abyssal Forest brings to their brand of Black Metal. Well-defined riffs, the typical guttural vocals at their peak, and an orchestration that draws us into the heart of the song’s specific message.
“From Darkness To Light” is a beautiful piece that could very well be one of the best tracks on this album. It seamlessly blends a rather contemplative atmosphere with a distinctly melodic line, in a piece that evokes the feel of old church hymns but with a foundation rooted in black metal. To some, this might seem like a contradiction, but in truth, both the message and the blend of the extreme with the ceremonial elements harmonize perfectly within the composition, resulting in something truly compelling.
In contrast, “A New Day A New Mercy” might be one of Abyssal Forest’s most ambitious tracks, with an epic, orchestral, and instrumental opening; here, Abyssal Forest showcases the best of their musical wisdom and skill, beautifully capturing that blend of the extreme and the melodic. Their riffs and power chords fit perfectly with the epic and sacramental concept presented. We could certainly count this as one of the best moments on “The Great Day Of His Wrath.”
But Abyssal Forest’s orchestral/epic/extreme sound—or rather, “Ceremonial Black Metal”, as we like to call it—doesn’t end there. Suddenly, we encounter the clear and direct “Only Jesus Saves”, which takes a approach more in line with basic, less atmospheric Black Metal, while essentially maintaining the core concept established at the outset.
Next up is the title track, “The Great Day Of His Wrath”, which offers several moments of well-crafted and precise blast beats, along with riffs and harmonies that truly have that essential hook. In this case, the orchestration comes more from the guitars, and that’s perhaps what sets it apart from the rest.
Finally, we have the intriguing “Sweet And Loyal Divine Sovereignty!”, which essentially serves as the album’s closing track. In a powerful, epic, and sacred display, it stands as another highlight of the album, showcasing diverse moments and atmospheres through a complex composition that highlights all the strengths Abyssal Forest is capable of. It’s truly an excellent way to cap off a great album.
And let me drive this point home. Although Abyssal Forest is labeled as Atmospheric Black Metal, their sound seems to go far beyond that definition. For us, Ceremonial Black Metal would describe their approach much better.

And mind you, it’s not that Abyssal Forest softens the Black Metal approach—quite the opposite, in fact—since its foundation is forged by fierce riffs, blast beats, and guttural vocals most of the time. However, their style is ultimately shaped by that orchestral element, which lends a distinct, ceremonial atmosphere to this project’s sound.
There’s clearly a connection between one track and the next, and that concept runs through “The Great Day Of His Wrath” from start to finish, offering something different from everything we’ve been hearing. That’s its main strength.
The album was recorded, produced, and mixed at Blackout Studios in Brussels, Belgium, with Anderson Albuquerque handling all the instrumentation himself, as mentioned earlier, except for the percussion, which was handled by Laye Louhenapessy. The result may not be entirely effective, but it does meet expectations for a project conceived entirely as an independent, underground release. With that in mind, we find an album where the various instrumental parts of each song have been skillfully handled and assembled, giving the entire recording a unique feel and a sound that quickly immerses us in the album’s overall atmosphere.
The cover art for “The Great Day Of His Wrath” is a work of art, reproduced as the album cover—a touch I hadn’t seen in quite some time. It was painted by Charles Moltram in the 19th century and rediscovered by Abyssal Forest to illustrate the album. It’s an image that perfectly captures not only the idea behind the album’s concept but also its musical direction. The rest of the release is beautifully presented, with a high-quality inner sleeve featuring the lyrics (Christian and straightforward) and an excellent interior design. It deserves a vinyl release, as it’s currently only available on CD and, of course, on digital platforms.
Abyssal Forest takes a significant step forward with their debut album, “The Great Day Of His Wrath” showcasing a unique style and vision of Black Metal. It’s surely the beginning of something important—and already sets a very high bar for the future. Albuquerque and Abyssal Forest have the style, the songs, their epic quality (so to speak), and more—enough to go much further in their highly anticipated follow-up.
Here’s the title track, ”The Great Day Of His Wrath”, and, as always, information on where to get this excellent album, along with their social media handles so you can follow them and stay up to date on their latest news…

https://soundmass.com/product/the-great-day-of-his-wrath/

https://www.extremerecords.com.br/produtos/abyssal-forest-the-great-day-of-his-wrath-1tx40

https://www.instagram.com/abyssalforest