SIG:AR:TYR's fifth album, Citadel of Stars, comes eight years after their last one, 2016's Northen. I can't speak to earlier records but on this one they play doomy, epic black metal with hints of folk (mainly in the form of acoustic guitars) and are therefore from the same school as Summoning, Finsterforst, etc. Atmosphere is key to this type of music and the image of faraway lands is easily conjured while Citadel of Stars is on. The rasping vocals neither enhance nor hinder that in any way, and there is some engaging riff work, like on "From the Land of the North." On the downside, some of the songs are repetitive and there simply aren't enough ideas to maintain a few of them ("Ascending the Stellar Throne") while others, in an attempt to be doomy, simply plod ("Where the Sun Never Sets"). I don't actively dislike anything SIG:AR:TYR are doing, and there are some good moments, but overall I find Citadel of Stars kind of dull.
