Year of release: 2019
Label: Putrid Cult
Rating: 8,2 / 10
The debut EP of the mysterious solo project from the Belarusian capital, quietly released in the middle of this summer on the Polish Putrid Cult, became a more important release than it might seem at first glance. In the past few years, albums covering style gaps have begun to appear in the country. For example, LEPROUS VORTEX SUN occupied the niche of the avant-garde dissonant Black Metal in the vein of DsO, and DOOMSLAUGHTER and LJOSAZABOJSTWA more than successfully carry the banner of the so-called "War Metal". Like the latter, EVIL SORCERY does not just fill up the lack of War Metal in Belarus - the project goes further, trying to find its own face and develop the style.
You won’t surprise anyone with occultism and rituals in War Metal - by and large, this is the foundation of the style. However, most of the bands, including forefathers, fail to convey the ritual atmosphere in their works. It is very difficult to wedge in incessant blasting with something more thoughtful. ARCHGOAT do this on the latest albums more or less succesfully, but I don’t remember anyone else. Projects such as HELLVETRON, NYOGTHAEBLISZ, VOID MEDITATION CULT, NOCTURNAL BLOOD are different, although their legs also grow from War Metal. EVIL SORCERY is located somewhere between the two camps, maintaining a warlike character, while being a ritual metal.
After about a dozen plays, my obsessive desire to draw parallels between EVIL SORCERY and BLACK WITCHERY - purely musical ones - does not disappear. Although there are almost no obvious similarities, the projects are related by aggression. The vocals of EVIL SORCERY are also angry and Satanic as fuck, and the motors from the STIHL chainsaws of the 666th model are definitely installed inside the guitars. This aggression distinguishes EVIL SORCERY from ideologically similar bands who growl their ritual speeches from the deepest abysses of Hell which makes them closer to Funeral Doom Metal. The Belarusian project works according to a different method: it moves at medium speed, from time to time opening the door for “ritual” elements - ominous synths, creeping guitar riffs, quiet howls in the background. The synthesizer parts are the most interesting thing on the album. They are not limited to an imitation of an ecclesiastical organ that has gotten sore long ago. You can hear, say, some crystal clear cosmic motifs, as well as very unexpected things in the vein of the soundtracks to ancient sci-fi films. Combined with rough black metal, the effect is impressive.
“Death Meditation” consists of one track for 21 and a half minutes. The work is conceptual, and its essence is very simple. In a nutshell - this is a song about ritual suicide. Following the theme, the music becomes darker and darker, until it ends with that very strange sci-fi synthetizer part, symbolizing... purification? One can only guess.
“Death Meditation” was released in a standard jewel case with a 4-page booklet. The song lyrics cover all the spread. The cover, in truth, can scare away many potential listeners, as it resembles the lurid samples of senseless shit stamped at the factory pace at the turn of the century. Maybe there is some hidden meaning, but I did not see it in a heap of seemingly incoherent images. But the logo - hot dang it son, you need to release patches as soon as possible! All the details on a video. In CIS, the CDs will be soon available in the distro catalogue of Possession.
English (UK) 
Крыўская