What the fuck happened to Usnea? After two apocalyptically sludgy funeral doom albums on Relapse, the Portland quartet disappeared for six years. A worldwide pandemic and few personal and health problems later, they’re back, and sounding as desperate as ever. A few discrete elements have been added here and there, such as the dense keyboard layer in To The Deathless’s intro, but the band are still often shaken by violent, blackened outbursts. However, it’s when they’re at their doomiest, when the simple yet expressive leads add a dramatic edge to their lumbering onslaught, that they reach their apex. Bathed In Light will probably sound too one-dimensional and too extreme to untrained ears, but the more focused songwriting and shorter song structures have made this their best album yet. ■■■■■■■□□□