It feels like a new wave of Danish black metal is rolling in with Orm, Afsky, and now Sunken, a band I hadn't heard of before this album popped up on my radar. Lykke translates to "happiness," a rather unorthodox title for a black metal album. As you'd expect, it's anything but happy, instead aligning closely with the aforementioned bands by emphasizing a chilly, depressive mood cloaked in restrained but venomous aggression. The music is sad, melodic, and twisted in its desperation, with a haunted, eerie air hanging over it throughout. What really makes it stand out is the subtle use of keys, which thickens the already unnerving atmosphere created by the riffs, and the versatile vocal performance, as Martin Thomasen shrieks, wails, and snarls in grief. Sit through the entire 12 minutes of "Og det er lykke" ("And it is happiness") and you'll catch my drift. Happiness? I don't think so, Sir.

This is a slightly disturbing and fairly demanding listen that requires attention to be fully appreciated. The album consists of four tracks totaling just over 47 minutes. While the overall result is undeniably strong, some of the songs overstay their welcome, making it harder to stay fully immersed throughout. That said, there is real depth, color, and a vivid, if sorrowful, beauty to the music on Lykke. In other words, it is difficult not to recommend, especially to fans of depressive and atmospheric black metal.