Review: Staghelm - Natura Semper Praevalet (2026)

Band: Staghelm
Release: Natura Semper Praevalet
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Country: Wales, UK
Release Date: 23/01/2026
Label: Naturmacht Productions

Introduction

Kicking off my reviews for 2026 is the latest release from Welsh atmospheric black metal band Staghelm. A one man band hailing from the coastal town of Aberystwyth, a place I am moderately familiar with from my years where I lived in Wales. 

This is their second album, following up Subnivium released in 2024 or third if we include The Wind's Journey (2019), which was released under the bands former name Ulm. 

Whilst there are only three tracks, it does last nearly 34 minutes in duration, meaning this release gives you a triplet of well paced pieces to sink your teeth into.

Natura Semper Praevalet

Tracklist:

1. These Winds Know My Name
2. Wrath of the Barked Ones
3. Altar of Oblivion

Light resonating guitar work being played over the sounds of the landscape serenely begins us off with These Winds Know My Name, a calming few minutes to ease yourself in before our black metal familiarity takes over. The chorus driven lead guitar creates a mesmerising melody combined with the harsher rhythm and extremely tight drumwork for the majority of the song.

That is until a peaceful and beautiful respite as we go into some gentle piano and synth work, creating a tranquil interval of breathing space before being dropped right into the furious depths of blast beats, growls, and heavily distorted tremolo guitar that perfectly encapsulates why we are here. 

The harsh vocals of this album are more muddied, buried in the mix to the point where they can become distant noise amongst the guttural instrumentation. This manner feels akin to being lost in nature, not always a bad thing as that escape and withdrawal is just what you need. 

Wrath of the Barked Ones begins with reverberated clean picking combined with light and smooth drumwork before our juxtaposing fuzzy tremolo guitar begins the bleakness. Oxylus, the sole member of Staghelm focuses heavily on the theme of nature, with the lyrics reflecting on the wilderness of our world and the wider macrocosm that is entwined. Some woodwind instrumentation is elegantly incorporated into this track before a spoken word section as our time is done and we slowly ascend into the dawn.

Altar of Oblivion is the shortest track on the album being just shy of ten minutes and acts as our closer to this fine adventure through mother nature. This track has a more gloomy feel to it, with somber guitar work and mournful lyrics, though also feels like the heaviest track as the instrumentation also mirrors the more grim and comfortless approach.

As we draw to a close there is a dichotomy of vocal work with the harsh growls and a more grand choir approach that has a glimmer of hope attached. “The stars remind me that the night is darkest before the break of dawn”.

Conclusion

And as the serene synths finish the album, we are at the end of this journey. Though it was a relatively short outing of three songs, Natura Semper Praevalet has proven itself as an unyielding entry into the array of atmospheric black metal entries that focus on nature and the cosmos.

BMZ Rating: 8.5 out of 10

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