This Polish black metal band can be summed up as follows: melodic anger with a wealth of expression.
It is not often I delve into this world for reviews, I normally keep this experience personal. However, I found favour with this artist and some of their label mates. The style is sung in their native language, so where possible with a translate website, I will give the English version of the track titles. The lyrics aren’t the major area that captives you throughout this debut album. It’s the passion and expression as indicated by my opening statement.
‘Ciało me wyklęte’ opens mid paced, deathly unhallowed vocals that reside over double time drumming. Some vocal wails and howls remind me the Shining (Swe), especially with the atmospheric stance of the combination. The next track, ‘Niebiański pogrzeb’ (‘Heavenly Funeral’), is over 7 minutes long. Sometimes I think songs outgrow their playing time, but yet doesn’t hold true in this case. Sweden is still an influence. By this I mean the track’s melodic sensibility is fused with anger, akin to some Dissection tracks I feel. It doesn’t pull any punches as your audio system gets a battering with the thunderous drumming on display. The drumming itself is rather interesting. If you isolate that instrument and concentrate on the patterns, you will find intricacy and diversity captured quite spectacularly in the studio recording ensuring that the time signatures are picked up and there is a good solid snare tone present too.
‘Niech się zaprze samego siebie’ (‘Let Him Deny Himself’) steps back to the post 4 minute mark, as do most of the remaining songs. Perhaps this chaotic delivery makes for an exhausting playing experience? That said as indicated, the same follows with ‘A czego tu się bać?’ (‘And what to be Afraid of Here?’). An older black metal style is mixed with modern styled atmospherics for ‘Niebyt zmyślony’ (‘Non-Being Imaginary’) with an earthy vocal delivery, battering drums and broad arrangements. We are ensured of some cool level of consistency. Then, you gain poignancy with an acoustic sections that comes from nowhere and tantalises your interest further. ‘Ostatni akt’ (‘Last Act’) follows a similar path to the previous two and with that brings a consistently good formula that really does work.
The album overall is neither old school nor trendy, its intricate black metal dynamics with a multilayer presentation that delivers strong atmospherics. The faster sections steamroll forward and gain easy attention. I would recommend this, it’s not cvlt (yawn), but it is a thoroughly recommended listen.
(8/10 Paul Maddison)
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