DARK FORTRESS can be commended for many things with the release of their sixth effort "Ylem," but topping the list is the fact that the German Melodic Black Metal band managed to make an album that sounds scary.

Silly as that may seem, anyone who's sampled from the overtly generous recent wave of Black Metal bands - as well as the thousands of groups that have branched off into various sub-genres - the effect seems to have worn off because there's just too much of it to strike fear in one's heart. Ah, but that's where vocalist Morean comes into the picture. On "Ylem", his second album with the band after replacing Azathoth in time to record "Eidolon", his growls and shrieks are as effective as any; but where he separates himself is with his wicked, near throat-signing howl that might as well be inspired by the inhuman Attila Csihar (SUNN 0))), MAYHEM).

"Ylem" will feel at home for longtime DARK FORTRESS patrons, as the guitar work is fluid (what else would anyone expect with the deadly V. Santura leading the assault?) and the rest of the surge is blood splattering, but Morean is a game changer this time around. His words and messages already are worth your attention, and then he opens his mouth to unleash the swarm of locusts from deep in his throat, ripping chunks out of the carcass of the richly melodic and synth-washed "Redivider" and "Osiris", the album's best cut. His dark evangelism might sound cheeky coming from other jaws, but there's something that could push listeners to pull for the light chord when he bathes in the plasma of the dark underlord on "Satan Bled" and even pokes insults toward mankind when he charges, "Man created God in his image."

As vicious as it is majestic, perhaps "Ylem" will be the album that finally shoves DARK FORTRESS onto a prime mantle space among Black Metal fans' listening treasures. If not, are you going to want to deal with Morean's wrath?