66th part of short reviews.
FLAME – Ignis Spiritus
Year of release: 2020
Label: Primitive Reaction
Rating: 6,8 / 10
The second album of the Finnish band FLAME (ex-members of BARATHRUM and URN) is well known to the owners of most underground distros around the world. It's this dirty black thrash metal that came out on CD and vinyl through Hells Headbangers in the US and Primitive Reaction in Europe. Both publishers are actively trading, so I remember the album because it was very often in the Possession catalog, but it sold very badly, although it was quite good. After 9 years, the Finns released a new mini album. It greets the listener with Venom's Satan on the cover, and the first track immediately makes it clear that the artwork was not chosen from the bald. The musicians have a similar manner of sound performance, although they still play faster and much angrier. The sound is as fucked up as it should. There are excellent melodies, but there are also dull ones. I can’t say that the EP hooked me with something, but it gives some pleasure. The flame is still burning.
AKOLYTH – Akolyth
Year of release: 2020
Label: Amor Fati Productions
Rating: 7,7 / 10
A very solid album from an anonymous author who most likely hails from Germany or Belgium. I put it on the second, because the album has the most powerful otherworldly atmosphere characteristic of the rare but well-aimed Belgian Black Metal. The muffled sound and basic musical structures remind, sorry, of KATHARSIS, but the special character of the album is given by the sharp riffs in the spirit of late MAYHEM. The speeds are mostly high, there were no lyrics in my promo, but, apparently, this is Black Metal, and quite smart Black Metal. The songs are lengthy (~9 minutes each), but they're perceived as 10, since they all change a lot several times, without deviating, however, from the main course.
SICULICIDIUM – Az alámerülés lárvái
Year of release: 2020
Label: Sun & Moon Records
Rating: 8,3 / 10
A good Romanian band SICULICIDIUM continues to work within the framework of a slowly developing (and also good) trend for a “Carpathian” sound. Maybe I’m in a hurry with the word “trend”, but it’s definitely possible to call it “movement”. Somehow imperceptibly, without saying a word, a number of groups began to move in the direction, at one time abandoned by MASTER'S HAMMER. SICULICIDIUM, MALOKARPATAN, KROLOK, CULTES DES GHOULES and others combine elements of many styles and Transylvanian mysticism in their music (an ominous organ is required!). With varying degrees of success, they end up with something complex and rich, with a powerful medieval atmosphere. In addition to all this, SICULICIDIUM gravitate towards INQUISITION-style riffs, the magical aura of which fits perfectly into the given theme. On “Az alámerülés lárvái” the band offers really great songs with a good dark melody in which you can get lost for a long time. I am a little confused by the sound where a very large picture gapes with an abundance of empty spaces. But you can get used to it. I highly recommend that.
MY DYING BRIDE – Macabre Cabaret
Year of release: 2020
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Rating: 5,7 / 10
In my review of “The Ghost of Orion,” I complained about the lack of proper songs: after the first three tracks, the album turned into a semi-ambient gum. The hastily released EP “Macabre Cabaret”, containing two full songs and another balloon, could somehow remedy the situation. Unfortunately, these worthless tracks are not capable of patching holes in the apparel of the Ghost of Orion, although in general they would have been tolerable. But the EP format forces you to listen to them more carefully, and the house of cards immediately falls apart. In the old days, such a dull sip was called the good word “b-side”. All three songs are extremely mediocre, grey and dull, as if someone made the band to write them. Again, metrosexual mastering doesn't help one bit.
ONDSKAPT – Grimoire Ordo Devus
Year of release: 2020
Label: Osmose Productions
Rating: 8,6 / 10
Of course, here it would be necessary to roll out a full-fledged review, but my thoughts, wandering in my head for a long, long time, did not want to erupt in any way, and it’s just a shame to pull on. In general, although it has been 10 years already, ONDSKAPT managed to do it again. The line-up has once again completely changed (with the exception of Acerbus, of course), but the essence and sound of ONDSKAPT are still recognizable. And this despite the fact that the album was written in another studio! The group, whose name was actually associated with Necromorbus, moved to Wing Studio, where a member of DIABOLICAL works. However, until 2013, he was an employee of Necromorbus, and his style of producing is extremely similar. Maybe the sound density is slightly lower. There is nothing more to tell here - ONDSKAPT were and remain the proper embodiment of Swedish Black Metal. The new album turned out to be a little fresher and more open than the first two, but the core is still the same. Buy or die!
English (UK) 
Крыўская