Lluvia has existed in some form or another since 2009. They were originally known as Wylve and released just one demo under that name before renaming themselves to The Rain in Endless Fall in 2012. They kept that name for just one year before changing it to Lluvia. Their first two full-length albums, Premonición de guerra and Eternidad solemne, were pretty decent but they didn’t really stand out much from their peers. It was their third release, Enigma, that truly amazed me.
When the album was released, it was accompanied with the following message: "No track list, no information. The 3x10" record set has no end or beginning. Choose a record, play a side, and lose yourself to its dark ominous ruin." If you think of this album as a constantly churning maelstrom of darkness, that statement makes sense. The production is quite clean, but just distorted enough to create a dark and desolate atmosphere. The drums often play rampaging blast beats, but there are also plenty of moments when they slow things down and play simpler beats that occasionally include rapid double bass.
The vocals don’t show up that often, but when they do, they consist of a croak that is pretty standard, but well-performed nonetheless. The guitars are the best part. Their performance consists almost entirely of tremolo riffs that are chilling but also profoundly melodic. Some sound angry and frantic while others feel more sorrowful and despondent. They also drag out passages for long periods of time to create a hypnotic effect similar to what the Blazebirth Hall did decades ago. During the slower sections they play chord progressions and high-pitched passages that almost sound like depressive black metal. They also include some nice ambient sections which are often placed at the ends of songs.
Enigma is an outstanding album. The instrumental work is brilliant and the atmosphere is captivating. It makes you feel like you’re wandering across a doomed planet where the only light that can be found is the sinister glow cast by the acceleration of its own fall. I hope they release more material, but aside from a split they did with Ehecatl in 2020, they have been pretty silent.