Year of release: 2020
Label: Purity Through Fire
Rating: 8,4 / 10
The Ural band ВСПОЛОХ has been in the corner of my field of vision for a very long time, since the split with ВИХРЬ (who, by the way, also have a very eclectic new album coming out on Der Schwarze Tod). If you poke your finger at a random song of ВСПОЛОХ, you will find a huge similarity to YGG. However, the catch is that the debut full-length of the Russians was released a year before the debut of YGG, but already contained music in a characteristic style: simple but long atmospheric songs with hypnotic riffs and blast beats for several minutes in a row. Apparently, ВСПОЛОХ were inspired by the works of DRUDKH and KHORS, but over time, on the next releases, they sounded almost in unison with YGG.
The second album of the Ural group kept itself waiting even longer than “ The Last Skald” of the Ukrainians. 10 years! But unlike YGG, ВСПОЛОХ have gone much further in their progress. If the new work of YGG practically does not differ from the debut, then "Помре" develops the sound in breadth and depth and, perhaps, beats YGG on the field of atmospheric metal, and at the same time grabs a piece from the КОБЬ pie. The basis of the songs is traditional: either hammering or Burzum's average tempo. 90% of atmospheric groups do not depart from these foundations, as a result of which the style was owerflown with talentless diarrhea in few years and fell into decay. ВСПОЛОХ break the rules of the game, allowing themselves to change the rhythm, speed and even the mood of the music 5-6 times per song. In addition, the band actively uses keyboards, background choral singing, acoustic interludes, as well as a little timid, but still, guitar solos!
A large number of elements in atmospheric metal requires a rich composer's imagination, but it is not in vain that this album has been forged for so many years. There are very few filler riffs on "Помре". The sound is good quality and professional. Both technically and creatively, the band still has room to strive, but the main elements of the album - a sense of melancholy and musical images of the harsh Ural landscapes - are reproduced with all reliability. Excellent!
English (UK) 
Крыўская