It's been a long time since I turned to Blitz - there was very little time for a digital format and even less desire. But there comes, as one character said, the moment when you have to either shit or get off the potty, so here we go, take the 63rd part of short reviews.
DOMINUS IRA – Ferocia Animi
Year of release: 2011 / 2019 (this edition)
Label: Echo Abyssi / Subterranean Aftersounds
Rating: 6,6 / 10
Re-release of the debut from the notorious Michurin musician, who at one time was close friends with the Niemaracz Clan (his second brainchild is THY KINGDOM ABLAZE; you may remember it from the split with RITE OF DARKNESS and PESTILENTIA). In 2018, DOMINUS IRA took part in a split that came out on the suspicious Italian I, Voidhanger Records, and this seems to have drawn attention to the project. Isn't there a reason to reissue the debut?
"Ferocia Animi" is an exemplary example of the debut album with all its advantages and disadvantages. This is a rather clever Dark Art: the texts are undoubtedly satanic, but very deep, to some extent even avant-garde. The music is to some extent created with an eye on the notorious dissonant French (I'm not just about DSO), but it holds tight to its traditional roots. Fans of SOLI DIABOLI GLORIA and LEPROUS VORTEX SUN will understand what I mean. The late Kronum had a hand in the design, and it's worth seeing. Each song is illustrated separately; the style of drawings will not appeal to everyone, but will attract everyone's attention. Unfortunately, all of the above is nailed down by drawbacks in the form of a dull pounding drum machine and a sound devoid of any dynamics. In general, it is very worthy for a debut, it is only a pity that the technical implementation does not correspond to the ambitious ideas.
BLASPHAMAGOATACHRIST – Bastardizing the Purity
Year of release: 2020
Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions
Rating: 7,6 / 10
The debut album of the supergroup BLASPHAMAGOATACHRIST hung on my review list for so long that poor Sabbaoth (bassist, and part-time leader of GOATPENIS) eventually died. Peace to his loins. With this group it turned out about the same as with the brotherly DEATH WORSHIP, only better. The first recordings of both formations were devastating and promising, but then everything rolled down. “Bastardizing the Purity” didn’t beat the demo, but it does have a strong side in the form of blasphemy-ish songs that could easily be part of the new Canadian Cult full-length. The goatpenis-ish and antichrist-ish songs came out noticeably weaker, standard grooved war metal with a couple of interesting places. As for the sound, it also came out liquidish. Nice album, but nothing big.
THY FUNERAL – The End of Life
Year of release: 2011 / 2020 (this edition)
Label: Total Därkness Propaganda / Subterranean Aftersounds
Rating: 7 / 10
The only album of the Hungarian formation, recorded back in 2005. The founder of THY FUNERAL also plays / played in 666, SPUOLUS, DIECOLD. The main features of the creativity of this part of the Hungarian scene are well known: primitive, clumsy and not always natural music-making, all-devouring darkness, ugly sound and a powerful black atmosphere, that makes all the shortcomings seem insignificant. Whether it is DUSK, 666, DIECOLD or THY FUNERAL, these Hungarians manage to recreate a true transcendental Darkness in their music . Give it a try.
FAUSTIAN PACT – Outojen tornien varjoissa
Year of release: 2020
Label: Werewolf Records
Rating: 7 / 10
The current release of Werewolf that makes eveyone piss with boiling water, but I'm not bying that. Why Lauri released it is easy to understand - he loves fantasy, and here it is also in the form of atmospheric old-fashioned metal interspersed with female vocals and recognizable keyboards from the ubiquitous V-Khaoz. In addition, the album has an excellent natural sound that might sound awesome on good home gear. But the songs as such did not seem interesting to me. Rather, it is simply a skillfully cut canvas from the fragments “as in the old days”. Good, but not inspiring. Only “Kuulas musta aika” hits the bull's eye.
CHÂTEAU NOIR – Troubadours of Pestilence
Year of release: 2020
Label: Darker Than Black / Subterranean Aftersounds
Rating: 6 / 10
Ukrainian medieval metal from two followers of the old Polish and French scenes. As far as I understand, I was a little familiar with the vocalist in the past, and he is a real fanatic of The Temple of Fullmoon. The second member, apparently, prefers the French scene, and his word was definitely decisive, since the music is permeated with purely French melody, and this is, let's say, not FUNERAL or LLN melody. Lots of keys and melancholy, although the songs are very fast. I must say, the melodies are surprisingly good, and it's only them that make you listen to the album to the end, since the technical side is sewn with white threads. Drum machine sounds awful, even by the standards of 2013 when the album was recorded. The vocals seem to be recorded on a karaoke microphone for 3 bucks and superimposed on top of the already finished mix. Before the release, the famous Sadist mastered the album, but it still sounds disgusting. It's a pity, because the songs are good. There is also a cover of the iconic “Mourning Soul”, completely ruined by vocals. In general, it is possible to listen to the album, but the potential has not been realized.
English (UK) 
Крыўская