89th part of the short reviews.
SPELLFORGER – Upholders of Evil
Year: 2021
Label: Personal Records
Rating: 7,2 / 10
Hard ass thrash speed metal from Indonesia. It is determined primarily not by speed (although everything is fine with it too), but by strong and consistent riffs. The music resembles a mixture of POSSESSED and INCULTER made in a Southern style. It doesn't blow your head off, it doesn't offer anything special, but it sounds wholesome and dynamic. Black Spellcrafters" is the most powerful track. Give it a listen!
BESTIALIS – Prawdziwa bestia
Year: 2022
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Rating: 5,8 / 10
Dark Speed Thrash Metal band from Florida that pays homage to ancient Eastern European bands. The press release mentions KAT, TURBO, DESTROYERS, POKOLGEP and OSSIAN. I didn't listen to the latter, there is nothing from KAT out here, but there is something from TURBO. But in general, the demo sounds pretty empty. The modern sound leaves no room for retro aesthetics, and the songs are quite standard, I didn't notice anything interesting in them. Therefore, the prospects of BESTIALIS cause me great doubts.
NECROVATION – Storm the Void / Starving Grave
Year: 2023
Label: Blood Harvest
Rating: 6 / 10
The Swedish band NECROVATION had their last five minutes of fame in 2012, when they released their second album on Agonia Records, thanks to which they received dozens of reviews in the relevant media and a place in a variety of distros. But then somehow it didn't work out, and the next release of the band is coming out only now, after 11 (!) years. I do not know who needs NECROVATION now, since in 2012 they were relatively fresh, thanks to their chaotic, atmospheric and flowing style of Death Metal. But today this type of sound is beaten to death (sorry). The new release is not able to offer anything distinctive. Probably, with the help of this 7" EP, the band and the label are throwing a trial balloon. We'll see if they'll have some success.
HAR SHATAN – Manum Inicere Alicui
Year: 2022
Label: The Sinister Flame
Rating: 7,8 / 10
German Black Metal is still capable of pleasantly surprising from time to time. The ideological band HAR SHATAN, for example, recently, in conspiracy with The Sinister Flame, released its second album, which is a feast of the soul for those BURZUM fans who do not object to a certain development of musical ideas laid down by Vikernes on early albums. In places, "Manum Inicere Alicui" quotes BURZUM almost note-by-note (the second track is a real remake of "Det Som Engang Var"), but for the most part, it relies on Vikernes' ideas as a foundation, building some malicious and insightful songs on them. In this sense, "Manum Inicere Alicui" sounds like something from 20 years ago, when it was still a shame to rip off classical bands, and new occult and atmospheric styles had not yet formed, and few Black Metal fanatics sought to find their way in those places where the fathers of the genre were lost. A very good album.
VARGRAV – Encircle the Spectral Dimension
Year: 2023
Label: Werewolf Records
Rating: 7 / 10
My favorite symphonic band is preparing for the release of the third album, but in the meantime, so that we don't get bored, they have made a small EP. The new track sounds very cool from a musical point of view, but the sound is quite dry compared to its predecessors. I hope this is not the final mastering. By the way, now Werewolf himself sings in VARGRAV, which also affected the sound. The next two tracks came from some 7"EP from 2017 that I never even heard of. Everything on them is as it should be, although the sound is also strange, as if they were ripped from the vinyl directly through some very cheap equipment. The track "Ancient Queen" is a cover of EMPEROR (in the case if someone still haven't guessed what is the main source of influence for VARGRAV). Finally, the last track is the concert version of "Netherstorm", put there, obviously, with a purpose to slightly increase the duration of the release. Overall, not a bad EP, but only for those who have already listened to VARGRAV before. Waiting for the album!
English (UK) 
Крыўская