While it may not be the most famous, Greece has one of the longest-running national scenes when it comes to black metal. Not only that, but the beautiful Mediterranean country also has its own style of black metal, which historically blends the chaos and philosophies found in black metal with the melody and hooks of the traditional heavy metal which influenced the scene's forefathers. There is an astonishing amount of great bands from Greece, so checking out "Zephyrean Hymns" from Melan Selas seemed like a safe bet for more good music and unsurprisingly, it paid off.

The duo of Dimitris Kontogiannis and Astraea have been making music under the Melan Selas banner since 2015 and with their third full-length album, they've really impressed. The album sums up everything that has long made Greek black metal so beloved by those who know it, with an epic feel from the moment "Mountain Tops" gets started. The opening number provides a real sense of grandeur whilst remaining extreme, the latter of which is thanks in no small part to the vocals, which when harsh have an uncomfortable, Luna Vachon quality about them.

Variation without deviation is the key to what makes this album so enjoyable. "Trumpets Of War," for example, has an amazing energy, almost akin to punk rock, without ever straying from the chosen metal style. "Wanderer" contains crisp clean vocals and excellent use of acoustic guitars to create an eerie sense of calm amidst the bedlam heard elsewhere on the album. Another stand-out song is "Darkened Cliff," which does a superb job of replicating anxiety, dread and panic, reminiscent of such literary characters as the widow Katerina from Christ Recrucified as she hurls herself at the agha.

What Melan Selas accomplishes in spades is creating an atmosphere. The album as a whole contains a wonderfully frenetic mood, housing paranoia and the need to break free and be true to oneself, as is often the message found in black metal. Yet it has a lot more to offer. It somehow balances the line between black metal chaos and heavy metal enjoyment, making it dangerously close to being fun at times. Melan Selas has crafted a truly solid album that will appeal to fans and newcomers alike and should help thrust their name into the upper echelons of modern black metal.