MØL's 'Dreamcrush' is shaking up the blackgaze scene, but is it a bold evolution or a departure too far?
When you think of blackgaze, you might imagine a sound that's a bit too gentle, a far cry from its black metal roots. For some, that softer edge is precisely the appeal. However, Danish band MØL has carved out a reputation for doing the opposite, injecting a much-needed ferocity into the genre. Their 2018 debut, Jord, even managed to impress seasoned metalheads, pulling some out of their blackgaze indifference. After signing with Nuclear Blast Records for their 2021 follow-up, Diorama, which largely continued in the vein of Jord, MØL returns after a significant break with their latest offering, Dreamcrush. The burning question is: does MØL still aim to be a powerhouse in the blackgaze arena?
While MØL might have once been seen as a direct rival to bands like Deafheaven, their musical trajectory has clearly shifted. This evolution is most evident in their guitar work. Gone are the heavy, driving black metal riffs, replaced by a captivating blend of classic shoegaze textures and the catchy, alternative rock hooks reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins or Silversun Pickups. You can also detect influences from more contemporary acts. The way they combine bright, punk-infused guitar chords with piercing black metal vocals, for instance, brings to mind bands like Noctambulist. At other moments, Dreamcrush feels like a more atmospheric, less technically intricate version of Rolo Tomassi. It's a remarkable feat how MØL has managed to craft a sound that feels both brand new and comfortingly familiar.
These significant adjustments to MØL's musical blueprint have dramatically enhanced the album's replay value. On their earlier releases, the guitars often bore the brunt of conveying emotional depth, while the vocals primarily delivered a consistent wave of aggression. Now, Kim Song Sternkopf's clean singing shares the melodic spotlight much more prominently. Furthermore, his harsh vocal repertoire has expanded beyond his signature high-pitched snarls, incorporating deeper growls on tracks like "Young" and "A Former Blueprint." Instrumentally, Dreamcrush offers a wider dynamic range, moving from the shimmering, jangly guitar strums in "Små Forlis" to the dark, brooding riffs in "Young," and even incorporating delicate string arrangements in "Favour." While I've always appreciated MØL's previous work, it often felt a bit uniform until this point.
However, MØL's new musical direction isn't without a few minor hiccups. Despite the distinctiveness of their melodies, the song structures can become a bit predictable, frequently cycling between verses sung with clean vocals and choruses featuring lead guitars and harsh vocals. Additionally, several tracks conclude with a rather uninspired fade-out ("DREAM," "Dissonance"), which slightly disrupts the overall momentum. And this is the part most people miss: The middle section of Dreamcrush ("Hud," "Garland," and "Favour") is notably softer than what fans have come to expect from MØL. While I personally enjoy this shift, it might be a point of contention for some long-time listeners. I will say, though, that these particular songs showcase some of the most impressive guitar solos, and the latter part of Dreamcrush does return to MØL's characteristic intensity. To make the album more accessible, the individual track lengths have been shortened, resulting in a concise total runtime of 42 minutes.
MØL continues to challenge genre conventions, though their approach has changed considerably. No longer content to simply outpace their peers in the blackgaze lane, they've ventured into a variety of other rock subgenres. While some dedicated fans might lament the diminished black metal elements, MØL still possesses an ethereal and powerful sound, executed with a skill that many other bands aspire to but rarely achieve. I can honestly say that Dreamcrush is my favorite MØL release to date, as it has removed many of the previous barriers that prevented me from fully immersing myself in their music. Even if Dreamcrush doesn't coalesce into a perfect, unified whole, it undeniably proves that MØL is a band that refuses to stagnate.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Releases Worldwide: January 30th, 2026
What do you think about MØL's evolving sound? Are they still a blackgaze band at heart, or have they truly embraced a new identity? Let me know in the comments below!
