Self-proclaimed “Necromantic Black Doom” band Worm has created its most refined and masterful release to date, blessing the listener with an elegant yet dirge-filled 26-minute EP, and leaving anyone who listens in a state of sonic euphoria.

The Florida band has long evolved from its humble dungeon synth and black metal roots to deliver a magical concoction of symphonic black metal, funeral doom, and European 90s death metal.

“From the moment you play this record, it’s got you locked in a fuzzy trance,” Boyle Heights resident Jasmine Rodriguez said.

Steve DeAcutis, whose previous collaborators include Cyndi Lauper and Nuclear Assault, returns to production duties to elevate the monolithic mixing heard on the band’s previous album “Foreverglade,” to mesmerizingly grandiose heights. This is Worm’s second release on the “20 Bucks Spin” record label. 

The opener “Bluenothing” begins with panning reverbed bells followed by waves crashing as if they were leading the listener onto an ominous island filled with Lovecraftian-inspired monsters. You’re then greeted with cavernous droning arpeggios and a soaring Iron Maidenesque guitar solo provided by Worm’s newest member and lead guitarist, Wroth Septentrion.

Wroth Septentrion is also known as Quebec musician Phillipe Davis from esteemed tech death metal bands First Fragment and Chthe’ilist. His addition to the collective has helped shape the band’s new symphonic-progressive influenced songwriting while still staying true to Worm’s signature blend of black metal.

The title track clocks in at a whopping 11 minutes and 30 seconds yet never manages to grow stale balancing the runtime with a more classical symphonic form of Black metal in the vein of Satyricon and hardcore-tinged doom.

From track 1 onwards, it’s very apparent that there’s a more melodic curve to the songwriting with synths being more prominent throughout the mix yet never becoming overbearing. There’s more of an emphasis on atmosphere with a melding of doom riffs and shrill synthesizer tone, creating a sense of sweet melancholy on each track similar to the band’s earlier output of material.

“The EP blends melodic ambient tones, heavy guitars, face-melting solos, all while being dreamy,” said Jacob Yanez, a resident of Highland Park.

Critics seem to agree.

“This affinity for switching between genres might be Worm’s biggest strength, and their new mini-album, Bluenothing, charts yet another new direction, pulling from the hallowed halls of symphonic black metal,” wrote Pitchfork’s Sam Goldner.

The next track “Centuries of Ooze II” is a sequel to their previous album’s closing track “Centuries of Ooze” but as opposed to being all-out death metal, grind, and doom opus, the listener is thrust into a medieval-inspired hellscape with church-like organs drenching the atmosphere. Then suddenly a thunderous droning riff kicks off the track into melodic doom territory. Wroth’s guitar solo skills are fully shining having multiple lead solos guiding the ambiance and mood into an elegant dark twisted ballad of despair.

The interlude track “Invoking the Dragonmoon ” is a mesmerizing instrumental that gives the audience a sense of longing and beauty provided by over-the-top reverbed guitar solos and old victorian synthesizers. This track is hands down one of their most melodic and sonically impressive to date harkening back to when Worm was a solo project.

Bluenothing’s closing track, “Shadowside Kingdom,” has the band firing on all cylinders expelling this energy of almost god-like confidence as if they can do no wrong. That confidence reigns true, especially around the 3-minute mark when we’re greeted with a barrage of blast beats and angelic solos that feel more visceral compared to the rest of the tracks.

Bluenothing is a near-flawless mini-album where every minute counts and each track leaves you with a sense of longing for more. The only downside of this record is that it’s the band’s shortest to date.