headlining bands, who themselves were underground gems, Shadow Woods offered a treasure trove of mystery in the fact that few people had heard each act. They ranged from local to unsigned workhorses, and the fans for the festival came not for one specific band but rather the chance to discover a litany of new musical acts.

Going into the festival, there was a palatable excitement that one could discover a new favorite band and possibly have a unique relationship in an intimate atmosphere. The word “intimate” cannot be overstated enough, as Shadow Woods offered something similar to a sleepaway camp for metalheads. The old-fashioned wooden sign that adorned the entrance of the camp also framed the noise emanating through the dark woods and gave each ticket-holder a tinge ofexcitement. You could either be murdered by a masked killer or have the time of your life.

DWELLER IN THE VALLEY

The wooded amphitheater stage on Saturday was filled up mostly with bands from the sponsoring/featured Baltimore label Grimoire Records. Dendritic Arbor, Snakefeast, and Dweller in the Valley all populated the amphitheater stage for a dark afternoon where animal bones adorned the stage.

Dweller in the Valley is a band who had already shown promise in their 2014 EP Younger Dryas. When I reviewed this EP for Tape Wyrm, I made mention of how they really fit anywhere on the spectrum of black, death, and doom. While the band nailed all of their songs from their earlier material, and they certainly sounded varied during older songs, it was their new material