On drifting, forests, and not making a song and dance.
Staghelm is the one-man atmospheric black metal project of Oxylus, hailing from the seaside town of Aberystwyth, Wales. I googled that. Of course I did. Consider me deeply pleased when I discovered that Aberystwyth doesn’t just offer a seafront and sand, but also comes with Penglais Nature Park overlooking the town – one of those unapologetically picturesque bluebell woods the UK does so well.
Just saying.
This feels relevant.
Because nature is very much the theme with Staghelm. After the 2024 debut album Subnivium ("Under the Snow"), Oxylus now follows up with Natura Semper Praevalet – Latin for “Nature Always Prevails”. Which you can read as a softly whispered reminder. Or a threat.
Your choice.
The album is presented as a “triptych of soundscapes”, according to the promo sheet.
Firstly: triptych. What a glorious word. We should absolutely be using this more often.
Secondly: yes, this means we get three tracks, spanning just over 34 minutes, each approaching the forest from a different angle – beauty, wrath, desolation. Majesty, might, and the quiet understanding that everything ends up compost eventually.
Three Long Walks, One Forest, No Sudden Surprises
The album opens with the track that immediately won me over. These Winds Know My Name begins softly – water, wind, gentle guitar notes – before subtle drumming creeps in, more like a memory than a beat. Synths add a dreamlike, slightly mystical layer, the kind I’m always a sucker for when it’s done right. When distortion finally kicks in, it doesn’t disrupt the mood but continues the melody, fuller and warmer, and I’m perfectly content to stay right there.
It’s not wildly innovative, but it is beautifully done. Safe. Comfortable. Organic. The vocals rasp along naturally, never dominating, never breaking the flow. Everything feels like it belongs. There’s a more melodic middle section where the timing shifts just enough to keep things interesting without losing recognisability. A piano passage follows – serene, almost soundtrack-like, flirting with dungeon synth territory without committing any crimes – before the track gently reminds you that this is still black metal. But in the end, we fade out soft, wide, and open. I could (and I do) listen to this one on repeat.
Wrath of the Barked Ones (I so love this title) takes its time to build as well, starting with delicate picking before a lazy, humming bass joins in – buzzing along beneath guitar, drums, and synths. Coldness creeps in gradually as distorted guitars sharpen and the drumming becomes more active, with extra cymbal work adding texture.
The vocals remain understated – not front and centre, not dominating, but present and fitting. They work with the track rather than over it. The guitars do most of the heavy lifting here, carrying riffs that are genuinely enjoyable to follow, with a faint whiff of UADA in the phrasing.
In the middle, the track loosens a little, drifting into flute-adjacent synths and whispered elements that feel undeniably woodsy. The final stretch brings things back into motion with galloping, repeating riffs that gradually fizzle out.
The closing track – Altar Of Oblivion – opens differently, with darker, denser synth waves setting a bleaker tone. It remains repetitive and meditative, built on looping riffs and melodies, though with more crashing cymbals than before. Towards the end, clean vocals and subtle folk elements appear – an unexpected but welcome turn – lifting the mood slightly as the guitars become more open and melodic.
Without Making a Song and Dance
Natura Semper Praevalet doesn’t ask for much of your time. It isn’t overly ambitious, and it isn’t trying to reinvent atmospheric black metal. There are no grand statements here, no dramatic gestures, no attempts to reorganise you from the inside out.
This is music that feels safe to pick up when you want to drift – when you need a pause, a moment to breathe, a quiet companion rather than a challenge. An album that knows its strengths and plays them out without fuss.
And I will always be grateful for any release that offers me this without preamble, without spectacle, and without unnecessary theatrics.