December is the darkest month of the year. Some cultures attempt to chase the shadows away with lights. Some do it with song. And then there are some that embrace the darkness with song. In Lawrence, Kansas that sect marks the season with a holiday called Driftmist – an annual celebration of doom and darkness hosted by Drifter and Aprilmist. This marked the third year of the aural feast.

The night began with Hollowed. The line-up had changed since the last time I saw them, and vocalist/five-string bassist Joe Yoksh and guitarist Mason Armstrong were now joined by drummer Sabre Mollus. Its sound, however, remained unchanged. It was still a hazy mix of styles: the complexity of progressive metal one moment, the slog of sludge the next, death metal bursts moments later, and classic thrash by the finale. Yoksh's vocals were sometimes sung but often growled. Between songs he was chipper and friendly. The trio doesn't have a stage act. Armstrong was happy to experiment, toying with odd tones, and coloring his crunchy riffs with complex and precise leads that might double as etudes created to build finger strength. Mollus fit into the mix, rolling with his adventurous bandmates, and often offering half-time drums to allow them the space to shine. The rare moments of thrash inspired a short-lived mosh pit. It might have lasted only thirty seconds, but maybe that's part of the Driftmist tradition.

Gurney followed. Singer Steve Warrell announced the act's arrival with "We're Gurney and we like to smoke pot." A twenty-five-minute set of sludge followed. Every song, as far as I could tell, was about weed. Warrell has long dreads that he whipped as he banged his head to the slow compositions, only stopping to offer vocals that shifted from screams to throaty growls. On his right was guitarist Ryan Hundley. Hundley delivered some riffage, though he preferred playing sticky leads that dripped with resin. A fog machine often kept him hidden, though his blinking Santa hat allowed the audience to track his movements. The band's tempos were regulated by drummer Shaun Hoover and bassist Jeremy Isaacson (on loan for the gig from Orphans of Doom) provided the big downbeats necessary for headbangers. Isaacson may have only been a fill-in, but he still nailed the quick pulses of aggression that punctuated the otherwise torpid stoner rock. Gurney closed with "The Creeper" – the title track from its recent EP. The undulating song was highlighted by a winding guitar that elevated its macabre tension.

Have I seen every Aprilmist show in 2024? Possibly? Probably? I'm not sure what drew me out each time, but demonic possession and black magic are both possibilities. The foursome plays black metal. Black metal that is nuanced and textured and intense and beautiful. Add whatever post or atmospheric qualifiers get you through the long winter nights. The act played seven or eight long pieces that stretched for almost an hour, including a new one titled "Saudade" (that's a Portuguese word meaning "longing" or "yearning"). Dustin Albright explained he wrote it during a difficult time. It sounded like it. Like most songs in the genre there was a delicate intro (and outro), a slow build with the whole band, and a climax that crushed souls. His vocals were both the cleanest sung ones and the gruffest screams. He also played most of the solos and leads. Guitarist Jon Houst provided most of the vocals. He shrieked. Both were channeling something dark. The group closed with "Fragments" from its current album. It was written by bassist Ben Chipman who was playing his last gig with the band. Albright was effusive about Chipman's contributions. Houst's response was more stoic. Drummer Jeff Wymer wasn't given a mic to weigh in on the matter. There's no news about who will replace Chipman yet, but Aprilmist will continue on, and I have an unexplainable and irresistible urge to attend its next show on January 21st at Farewell.

I half-expected a procession of hooded druids to take the stage and extinguish a ceremonial candle before Drifter played, but, of course, the liturgy of Driftmist is sonic not visual. Instead, the night's final rite began with humming feedback from guitarist Brodie Belt bolstered by haunting synths and manipulated sounds from bassist/vocalist Dean Edington. These instrumental introductions and outros played heavily into Drifter's post-rock doom, creating bridges that linked the band's compositions. Some of these interstitial moments were written, rehearsed and given names. Others were extemporaneous incantations born in the moment, never to be heard again. Each, however, gave way to something bigger. Edington's vocals ranged from clean to roared through precise echo and delay. There were songs where he only played synths triggered by keyboards, launchpads, and drum pads, and others where his bass provided the threesome's bottom end. Belt wasn't particularly riff happy. The Neurosis shirt he wore and the impressive pedalboard at his feet hinted at different sonic priorities, as did his stand of drums consisting of rack toms, a floor tom, and a crash cymbal. During current single, "The Flood," Belt set down his guitar and joined drummer Joel Denton to create a transcendent percussive finale.

The show ended just after 11pm – not exactly the witching hour but in the dark and cold of December all the same. In a week the nights will start getting brighter, but for us true believers, the spirit of Driftmist will remain in our black hearts all year long.