I recently finished reading the autobiography of Behemoth’s Nergal, and one of many things which struck me about it was his Polish matter-of-factness. This didn’t surprise me at all. I mention this because it’s the same with productions from the Godz of War label. All you get is the basics, namely that Profeci are from Poland and play black metal. I like this. Hyping it up doesn’t help. Let the listener decide. A bit of further research tells me that this nicely packaged album is the band’s third release.
Profeci plunge us into darkness and are on the attack from the off. The riff is contemptuous. The vocals are raucous and harsh. After a brief moment of gloomy reflection, the drums and guitars are cranked up again. “Stare Sworzenia” fits the bill of warmongering black metal, switches tempo and lines of attack but I can’t claim that it is innovative. I prepared myself for the long haul, or shorter one as it happens since the album is 33 minutes long. “Jaskinie” (Caves) is equally harsh, giving an air of despair and suffering. Again it switches tempo and direction, at one point with a prolonged break which is striking, adding tension, and acts as the prelude to more harsh tragedy, or so it seems. Bizarrely, “Jedność Wielości” starts with a drunken-sounding chorus and an old piano before engaging on more smoke-filled anger and venom. The break is used once more to serve the purpose of rebuilding the atmosphere. I like the way that Profeci do this. My Polish isn’t proficient enough to explain the lyrics but clearly someone’s having a tough time out there. The music is evocative and funereal without losing power or strength. The intensity goes without question. “Głód” (Hunger) has exactly this quality. Its style is more direct and expansive than the others. A pagan-type moan adds a touch of mysticism to this whirlwind of a track. By contrast “Bez Niej Byłbym Niczym” (Without Her I Would Be Nothing) has a quiet build-up. The vocalist emits words painfully and theatrically as the drum beats ominously and a dismal tune is played. All in all, the canvas is depressing and grey, and I guess deliberately so. It’s certainly effective. The depressive aura continues into the final track “Dytyramb”, breaking out musically but juxtaposing hard-hitting metal with the harsh voice and sounds of pain. There is a terrible scream, anguished guitar work and it’s all over.
It’s not really news to say that this is harsh, because I don’t know of a Polish black metal album that isn’t. What I can say is that this isn’t run of the mill black metal. Profeci noticeably make it their business to transform the atmospheres within each piece. The net result is still harsh, leaden-heavy and anguished black metal but “Ubóstwo”, which translates as “Poverty”, belies its name in a musical sense and is instead noteworthy for its variety of interesting structures.
(7/10 Andrew Doherty)
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