67th part of short reviews.
HALTER – The Principles of Human Being
Year of release: 2020
Label: MFL Records / Frozen Light
Оценка: 7 / 10
Okay doom-death from Yaroslavl, with clever, consistent lyrics and a diligent approach to all elements of music and design. The group tries to play in a variety of ways, but moderatly, so as not to violate the lead harshness of the sound. Apart from the individual riffs with shitty "oriental" notes, it turns out well. HALTER can both compose and perform, and their bassist is so confident that time after time he becomes a leading musician of the band. Solid release.
SZARY WILK – Wrath
Year of release: 2020
Label: Putrid Cult
Оценка: 5 / 10
A new Polish band, which, surprisingly, does not include Vened “Wilk” Slavibor in their ranks. The press release painted a really fabulous picture - here you have both the influence of SACRILEGIUM and the best traditions of TTF. Insolent, outrageos lies. Comparing this to SACRILEGIUM is like saying that tricycle is a steed. SZARY WILK just play fancy sugar riffs in a deliberately crap sound with digital noises, occasionally sprinkling them with acoustics that supposedly should be reminiscent of the old days. But the album not only has nothing in common with Old Poland, it is not necessary to listen to it even today. A few successful melodic solutions hardly deserve your attention.
BAXAXAXA – Devoted to HIM
Year of release: 2020
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Оценка: 8 / 10
An example for the above-described Poles, how to do it in the old way and in the right way. Fresh EP from BAXAXAXA dedicated to Ville Valo ... I mean, HIM - and still the same ancient and sinister Black Metal with keys, continuing the traditions of early SAMAEL and XANTOTOL. The sound this time turned out to be somehow ugly, but this practically did not affect the overall impression. Great!
FÖRGJORD – Laulu kuolemasta
Year of release: 2020
Label: Werewolf Records
Оценка: 7 / 10
Having found the phrase about “one of Finnish black metal’s best-kept secrets” in the press release, I wanted to wipe this fucking promo out of my HDD, but it's still Werewolf Records, so my hand wavered at the last moment. What can I say - not all of Sami Lauri's releases are equally useful, but all are edible. At first, “Laulu kuolemasta” tries to pretend to be DARKTHRONE, but quickly discards this venture and embarks on an otherworldly melody that works in favor of the album both sonically and aesthetically. The recording here is definitely not for everyone, and in an aggressive sound format, it works at random. In the melodic sections, everything changes, and the group presents its vision of the theme of death in a very interesting way. Overall, the album left me with mixed impressions, from irritation to delight. However, it definitely deserves attention.
STYGIAN TEMPLE – In the Sign of the Five Angles
Year of release: 2016
Label: The Sinister Flame (this release)
Оценка: 7 / 10
Canonical Black Metal in the vein of Sweden: with evil tremolo, high intensity, Latin spells and devilish fanaticism. After new ONDSKAPT it sounds pale of course, but still worthy. There is nothing more to say - in this style, 99% of albums is all the same.
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