Zgard, with its resolutely Carpathian take on black metal, has always had obvious potential and has been quietly, in the background, constructing its legacy over the past three or four years. Totem again features former Nokturnal Mortum drummer Munruthel on production duties and marks the fifth album since 2012. But the output masks a slowing of the pace of Zgard releases – almost as if the initial flurry of excitement has been replaced with greater focus. In fact, it’s 18 months since last year’s Contemplation. And Totem is an improvement on previous efforts that is monumental in scale – so much so that it is difficult to believe Zgard is, to coin a phrase, just another one man black metal act.
Totem combines those characteristic, searing vocals from the depressive end of the black metal spectrum with some white-knuckle, hypnotic keyboard-backed melodies. Band mastermind Yaromisl is showing clear signs of perfecting his music-making art. 2013’s Astral Glow was probably a little too dominated by the flute and other paganisms and last year’s Contemplation was sometimes guilty of the directionless meandering common to almost all one-man black metal outfits. You couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a formula at play in previous albums despite the overall quality.
Totem is a different beast altogether. Zgard feels like it is evolving from a quirky and likeable pagan metal band and into a project that is shuffling up into the higher reaches of Ukraine’s black metal scene. And while the flute warning remains in place, the indigenous instruments are all well embedded into the canvas this time around rather than vying to be the main feature. Everything is where it should be. The use of rousing heathen choruses, the groaning battle horn and the wailing Eastern vocals on Descendants of the Thunder only help to bring that canvas to life brilliantly without taking away from what then turns into an onslaught.
Totem – dedicated to Veles, the ancient Slavonic god of sorcerers – has also ironed out some nagging production issues and pulled off some of the most insanely catchy and unpredictable riffs I’ve heard this year. Some, if not all, of the tracks would fit well into a Nokturnal Mortum or a Kroda album. The title track throws in some nice and varied tribal drums that bounce off the piercing tremolo riffs nicely before fifth track Sorrow provides a bit of a throwback to previous albums with its slower pace and hardcore flute worship. But, just when you think Yaromsil is settling back into his well-worn style from 2013’s Astral Glow, he begins to crank it up again and the final three tracks finish in a blur of narcotic melodies, ferocious blasts and showing off the unpredictable flair that we’ve become used to from the Ukrainian black metal scene.
If you like Schwarzpfad and you enjoyed the jaw-dropping Voice of Steel then my guess is that you’ll like Totem. I’m not sure if the leap that Zgard has taken with this album from the last one has been thanks to Yaromsil’s increasing open collaboration (he’s got Ukraine’s Endless Battle members involved – including vocalist Dusk – and he worked with former Kroda drummer Jotunhammer on the last album). But, whatever the changes he’s made, they’re most welcome. Because Zgard has gone from being an interesting one-man black metal act to a primal force. Totem might just be one of the best things to come out of the Ukraine this year and that is a compliment indeed.
(9/10 Reverend Darkstanley)
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