Released on: 21st November 2025
Black Metal is dead. Long live Black Concerto.
Antinoë, the stage name Teresa Marraco, gives of her sophomore debut [an oxymoron, I know – Ed] an incarnation of primal emotion told in midnight zeal. Titled The Fold, her second album sees the Madrilena artist showcase her own dark, pop driven compositions. Inspired partly by the black metal of old. It is, in a sense, an entire album of keyboard tracks but with a greater vocal presence.
The Fold is a multi-lingual recording accompanied mostly by the ageless sounds of piano and strings. Offering timbres that take a drab if not emphatic jaunt through introversion and self-empowerment. The compositions, while dark, hold their pop Made-For-Radio heart on the proverbial sleeve however. And which never fully realise a lasting impression, sadly.
The tracks do hold a flame to the gothic cadences of the ivory castle. Even if they are mostly bereft of any flicks or inflections that voice personality. Marraco delivers a sensitive performance on the album that resonates with the DSBM tendencies of modern Black Metal. The little decorations may come with time.
Ultimately, The Fold is dungeon synth for the tender hearted. It is very cinematic, and even through its cold timbres expresses warmth in an almost romantic fashion.
7/10
