It's 2023 and by now, bands are starting to emerge as future defining bands of the decade. A number of groups have released their debuts over the past three years and some are now on to their second, or even third full-lengths. This brings us to Blackbriar, a Dutch outfit that has been going since 2012 and has long been given plaudits by their contemporaries, but only released their first album, "The Cause Of Shipwreck" two years ago. This September, the band unleashed their sophomore effort, "A Dark Euphony," and there's plenty to demonstrate that we could soon be hearing a lot more from Blackbriar in the future.

Vocalist Zara Cock has been compared to a siren quite often, obviously enough to inspire the title of the previous album, and it's evident why from the very beginning of this one, as "An Unwelcome Guest" gets us underway. It's a good mix of Gothic and alternative metal, around the Lacuna Coil area and it's very enjoyable, which bleeds into the second song, "Far Distant Land." Appropriately, this song is a bit more... Pagan, borrowing Viking and Celtic influences to really create a solid atmosphere.

There are also plenty of good rockers on board, such as the single "Spirit Of Forgetfulness," which channels Leaves Eyes a little and forges a rousing chorus, while "Bloody Footprints In The Snow" is a mean stomper which offers as much beauty as it does savagery. Closing number "Crimson Faces" also has a strong weight behind it, pounding at the listener while also being permeated by intoxicating vocals. "Thumbelina" is another that mixes beauty and the beast elements to create a memorable song.

Mid-way through the album, the Gothic and the sadness begin to really take hold, with more piano parts and introspection to be heard. "The Evergreen And Weeping Tree" is a true showcase of Zara Cock's vocal prowess, dueting with the piano for most of the song before the rest of the band comes in a minute and a half before the end. "My Soul's Demise" follows a similar premise while "We Make Mist" conjures up images of the lonesome woman patrolling her abandoned house trope, which we've seen in many old horror movies. These songs are great for what they create, but being put together on the record does interrupt the flow quite a bit, to the point where the record struggles to get its energy back.

Taken as a whole, Blackbriar has created a very good album with plenty to enjoy. It's not the heaviest album that's ever been reviewed on this site, or even in the past week, but for those of you who enjoy the likes of Lacuna Coil, Leaves Eyes, or Edge Of Paradise, "A Dark Euphony" is well worth your time. It's an album with plenty of strengths that seems to offer a glimpse of a future headline act, one right on the verge of something big. It has its weak spots, but nothing particularly limp, and will score Blackbriar plenty of new fans if they can hear the album in full, rather than being judged on the singles.