“Loosen the grip of these spectral hands.”
If you’re staying on top of trends, 2026 very well might be the new 2016, with the best (or worst) parts of post-recession culture making a return anywhere from grievance politics to Instagram filters. In music, hipster staples Swans, My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive are trending on social media and EDM-flavoured pop (and somehow Drake?) is cool again. Fitting, therefore, that blackgaze is also back on the menu, with Deafheaven once again the darlings of Pitchfork aficionados and forum dwellers alike just over a decade on from the release of evergreen genre classic Sunbather and follow-up New Bermuda. 2025’s Lonely People With Power stormed album of the year lists among both more mainstream and metal-oriented publications alike, thrusting the bastard child of cold black metal and warm shoegaze, that favourite object of derision among metal purists, firmly back into the limelight in all its shimmering splendour.
Time and again, however, renewed interest in a particular sound does not translate to overnight success for all but its least-known exponents. Like their many of their compatriots in Denmark’s burgeoning metal scene, MØL (Danish for “moth”) are still rising stars, though certainly no longer underdogs. The strength of the two phenomenal LPs under their belts, 2018’s Jord and successor Diorama, has set one of Danish music’s most idiosyncratic and recognisable acts on a firmly upwards trajectory and provided a catalyst for their most ambitious record yet. With the quintet steadily moving away from their earlier Hawaiian-shirt clad gauze into territories more firmly their own, DREAMCRUSH stretches out beyond strict blackgaze. It’s an opportunity for MØL to flex their sharp songwriting chops with a keen ear for good choruses, while never straying far from the ethereally washy guitars and piercing shrieks which make the genre so iconic.
The sludgy post metal capping “DREAM” signals right out of the starting blocks that DREAMCRUSH is broader in scope and ambition, not content with being merely another slab of MØL’s trademark chunky, reverb-laden blackgaze, however welcome that would be. Whereas Deafheaven updated their sound with a more riff-driven approach, the Danes opt for a different take, cranking up the aggression with more of the angular chug patterns reminiscent of breakthrough debut Jord in the verse sections of “Young” contrasting with the deeply melancholic melody ascending through the pre-chorus, and the fiery culmination of “A Former Blueprint”, as well as ever greater walls of sound conjured up by Nicolai Busse and Sigurd Kehlet’ssoaring guitars. “Hud” twists the sludge introduced on opener “DREAM” into a pounding bassline from Holger Frost under glittering chords and a progression not unlike more recent Dark Tranquillity. While DREAMCRUSH mostly stays contained, juxtaposing intense emotion with a controlled release, “Mimic” throws restraint well away in a relentless outburst. Ferocious post-hardcore tempos and a truly blistering finale with Ken Klejs’ distorted drums flailing wildly sets up the build to a similarly intense crescendo, with the band back in full cathartic control on closer “CRUSH” to bring the record’s thematic arc full circle, with vocalist Kim Song Sternkopf impassionedly proclaiming “you’ll find yourself again”.
The record’s updated and expanded compositional range doesn’t just extend to the band’s aggressive side, however; the broader stylistic palette on DREAMCRUSH provides ample opportunity to incorporate a wider collection of textures. The gossamer guitars and lush atmospheres which define MØL are increasingly complemented by forays into genres outside blackgaze. Alt-rock is probably the most obvious influence, with the even more DT-esque lead single “Garland” delivering a catchy, euphoric chorus coupled with a slick, no-nonsense hook and driving midsection. Tinges of anything from ethereal darkwave and 80s goth in the dreamy acoustic guitars of “Favour” and post-punk to the cinematic intimacy of interlude “∞” permeate and colour the heady blend of gazey metal, weaving in and out in between the consistently powerful chorus swells to never overpower MØL’s core identity.
With all that said, though, the capstone of MØL’s sound is undoubtedly Sternkopf’s vocal prowess. While unable to stand in your living room and sometimes literally pull you in like when wading into a crowd, wireless microphone in hand, one of metal’s most viscerally captivating frontmen is certainly no slouch on record. Aside from the characteristically searing highs throughout and a dip into Sternkopf’s ferocious lows on “Young”, MØL fully lean into his clean vocals showcased on Diorama, a foil to the more extreme styles which pace the record and provide welcome contrast. “Hud” and “Garland” use Sternkopf’s fragile croon, not too far off similarly engaging Dark Tranquillity mainstay Mikael Stanne’s gothic brooding, to wallow in vulnerability in hushed verses alternating between English and Danish, while “små forlis”, “A Former Blueprint” and “CRUSH” lean into a laconic delivery fitting the more laid-back stylings on display. The vocal diversity, capably reflecting the naked personality in the record’s lyrics, is further testament to the thoughtful and tasteful arrangements and the care with which the introspective emotion evident throughout the record has been translated into music.
DREAMCRUSH is maximalist modern blackgaze excellence from the unassuming Danes. It’s clear that their sights were set decidedly higher for their third full-length, resulting in a decidedly more expansive record which sees the quintet put forward their version of the best parts of contemporary melodic metal. Defiant, poignant and consistently intense, for all its turmoil DREAMCRUSH is most of all extraordinarily uplifting, a sorely needed balm in an unsettled world.
8.5/10
DREAMCRUSH releases on the 30th January through Nuclear Blast Records and can be pre-ordered here.