I feel another LOTR readthrough coming on.

Not because I just discovered #oneofnine, but also not NOT because of that. 🖤

https://oneofnine.bandcamp.com/album/dawn-of-the-iron-shadow

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #KEXP's #SeekAndDestroy

One of Nine:
🎵 Age of Chains

#OneofNine

https://oneofnine.bandcamp.com/track/age-of-chains

https://open.spotify.com/track/6Mwc5ze9I0kipOPVG9Vmr7

🎶 show playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1uZ3GLf6lDtDqJSQrY0lMU

🎶 KEXP playlist 👇
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6VNALrOa3gWbk794YuIrwg

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ONE OF NINE Joins Forces With LAMP OF MURMUUR For European Tour

https://bravewords.com/black-death/one-of-nine-joins-forces-with-lamp-of-murmuur-for-european-tour/

#ONEOFNINE #LAMPOFMURMUUR #JoinsForcesWith #ForEuropeanTour #tour #EP #BraveWords #metal #music

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REVIEW: ONE OF NINE’s Dawn Of The Iron Shadow – “Unabashed Tolkien Black Metal”

https://bravewords.com/album-reviews/review-one-of-nines-dawn-of-the-iron-shadow-unabashed-tolkien-black-metal/

#REVIEW #ONEOFNINE #DawnOfTheIronShadow #UnabashedTolkienBlackMetal #blackmetal #BraveWords #metal #music

Do you want some Tolkien-inspired #BlackMetal in your life?

#OneOfNine: Dawn of the Iron Shadow

https://album.link/t/450300873

#MelodicBlackMetal #USBM

FFO #EbonyPendant #Kvaen #Ninkharsag

ONE OF NINE Streams Forthcoming Epic, ‘Dawn of the Iron Shadow,’ Ahead of Release

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY2y5sDNSts

#metal #oneOfNine #video

One of Nine – Dawn of the Iron Shadow Review

By Thus Spoke

If you aren’t already familiar with One of Nine, how quickly did you catch the Nazgûl reference? The Tolkien vibes are fairly obvious,1, but it took me an embarrassing amount of time to connect the band’s actual name and concept with specific LOTR lore. You might therefore accuse me of being severely under-qualified to write this review. However, One of Nine’s music is not just nerding out about iconic fantasy, it’s black metal. And I learnt from Stormkeep’s fantastic Tales of Othertime, that while my knowledge of and passion for the Tolkien-inspired pales in comparison to say, Felagund‘s, I do know that fantasy-themed dungeon-synthy meloblack kind of slaps; at least when it’s good. Dawn of the Iron Shadow, One of Nine’s sophomore, may not break any moulds, but it is definitely good.

Dawn of the Iron Shadow rides straight out of the gate with its heart on its banner. Opener, “Parley at the Gates,” sets the precedent for frequent bouts of booming, solemn narration as the speaker entreats mysterious lords for their service to a malevolent leader. We later get midpoint exposition (“Bauglir”) and the final lines of closer “Death Wing, Black Flame” are spoken with gravitas over the rumbles and crashes of thunder. Harplike, flutelike keys and soft horns playing quaint refrains, and syrupy synth choirs interrupt or duet with the tremolos, pushing percussion down to a tempered crashing, and planting the vibe firmly in the medieval camp.2 The echoing roars, variously jaunty and galloping tempos, in combination with the above, are indeed reminiscent of Stormkeep, while some more theatrical tendencies dimly recall Dimmu Borgir, and more explosive guitar melodies Mare Cognitum. Much like the tales of magical quests and battles it outlines, Dawn of the Iron Shadow is event-filled, grand, and charming, sustaining its audience with well-crafted music, and an uplifting sound.

One of Nine capture the spirit of their conceptual world and the listener’s attention by integrating their musical threads brilliantly. Dungeon synth elements are woven seamlessly into the fabric of the soundscape, prefiguring a theme (“Behold the Shadow of my Thoughts,” “Quest of the Silmarilion”), enhancing drama or emotion (“Dreadful Leap,” “Death Wing, Black Flame”), or just adding that extra flair (“Age of Chains”) to create passages that make you smile and take a guitar line from vanilla to vibrant. But it’s not as though the tremolo melodies themselves are even that plain, as One of Nine wring an impressive amount of expression from such refrains, which, emphasised by their keyboard companions, are downright anthemic; “Dreadful Leap” stands out in particular here. The effect of these predominantly cheerful—dare I say major—melodies, whether chimes sprinkled amidst the drums, or a plinky upbeat interlude, is that even the most mournful of tremolos herein becomes uplifting and hopeful. These songs sound like fantasy quests, and the narration, the shift between marching and galloping tempos (“Desperate Valor”), the group chants (“Death Wing Black Flame”), the horns and the harps, all work together to make it happen.

Dawn of the Iron Shadow is epic in nature, but it is not epic in length, and that makes it even more digestible. The music is so endearing in its sweeping soundscapes and so-serious commitment to its subject matter, that it ends far sooner than anticipated. This is excellent for replayability, but also works against the record’s overall impact if you’re not overly invested in the story or listening actively enough to pick up on One of Nine’s idiosyncrasies. That isn’t to say you won’t have a good time—you probably will. But a lack of big stand-out moments like those in “Dreadful Leap” and “Death Wing Black Flame” means that while the songs are enjoyable and the atmosphere is impeccable throughout, it doesn’t demand attention not willingly given.

I say all the above as someone with a layman’s interest in the source material. The music speaks for itself, and there’s plenty to enjoy for any fans of the hearty, happier side of black metal. Whether you come for the stories or not, the dreadful Nine’s tales of Middle-earth are fun and winsome enough to make you stay.

Rating: Very Good
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore
Website: Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025

#2025 #35 #BlackMetal #DawnOfTheIronShadow #DimmuBorgir #DungeonSynth #MelodicBlackMetal #Oct25 #OneOfNine #ProfoundLoreRecords #Review #Reviews #Stormkeep

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ONE OF NINE Journeys Through Beleriand On New Single “Quest Of The Silmaril”

https://bravewords.com/black-death/one-of-nine-journeys-through-beleriand-on-new-single-quest-of-the-silmaril/

#ONEOFNINE #JourneysThroughBeleriandOnNewSingle #QuestOfTheSilmaril #newrelease #single #EP #BraveWords #metal #music

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#MetalInjection
ONE OF NINE Unveils 'Dreadful Leap' From Upcoming Album Dawn Of The Iron Shadow

https://metalinjection.net/new-music/one-of-nine-unveils-dreadful-leap-from-upcoming-album-dawn-of-the-iron-shadow

#ONEOFNINE #Unveils #DreadfulLeap #album #MetalInjection #metal #music