6-panel digipak CD made from sturdy inside-out cardboard with a deep black flood finish. Emerging from the prolific creative wellspring of Finian Patraic, Moosegut’s debut full-length From the Deepening Gloom offers a curious, spirited detour into raw folk-inflected black metal. While comparisons to his better-known projects like Ifernach are inevitable, Moosegut stands apart with a distinct blend of rustic atmosphere, tribal minimalism, and scrappy black metal fervor.
The album opens with “Take This Liver to My Tribe,” a striking introduction that sets the tone through primitive ambient textures before diving headlong into coarse yet melodic riffing. There’s a loose, almost punkish quality to the rhythm section that recalls the scrappy charm of Finnish Steel Storm, but Patraic manages to inject his own sense of purpose into the formula. Rather than simple emulation, he imbues these tracks with a spirited energy that feels both celebratory and introspective.
Tracks like “Backwood Misanthropy” and “The Ancient Forest Whispers My Name” showcase the album’s range—from uplifting, folky guitar leads to eerie, meditative passages that conjure the solitude of ancient woods. Even when certain influences peek through a little too clearly, the sincerity of execution and unexpected melodic twists keep the album engaging. “Backwood Misanthropy,” in particular, shines with its buoyant riffs and almost triumphant vibe, a welcome contrast to the otherwise murky tone.
Vocally, Patraic’s high-pitched howls and yelps may be polarizing, especially when buried in the mix, but they add a raw urgency that suits the lo-fi production. At times the vocals are overshadowed by the instrumentation—as heard on “Suspended Skins”—but this murkiness feels more like a deliberate aesthetic choice than a flaw. There’s a certain charm in the chaos, as if these recordings were excavated from some moss-covered stone circle.
From the Deepening Gloom is far from polished, but therein lies its appeal. It’s a crooked, shadowy thing—full of strange melodies, half-remembered traditions, and the spirit of nocturnal mischief. It may not outshine Patraic’s other work in scope or grandeur, but it succeeds in carving out its own peculiar space in his ever-expanding sonic realm. For fans of rough-edged folk black metal with a punk heart and a touch of mysticism, Moosegut’s debut is well worth a listen.
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