Gothic metal is, sad to say, a fairly niche market, so it’s unlikely that any artists hailing from this sub-section of the musical landscape will ever retire in untold splendour. Hailing from said niche sub-section, Tristania and Ardours are two bands worth noticing, if not for their loyal following, but for the force of nature voice fronting both: that of Italian chanteuse Mariangela Demurtas. Since having taken over vocal duties in Tristania in 2007, Mariangela has charmed and entranced audiences and has, following that, continued growing as an artist with Ardours – an act that has been on pandemic hiatus since 2019. This has not stopped her creative development, however, and Dark Ability represents Mariangela’s first true solo outing. “City” is a fairly straightforward narrative, visual...