{"id":3683,"date":"2025-10-14T01:02:44","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T22:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bagnik-zine.net\/?p=3683"},"modified":"2025-10-14T01:20:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T22:20:54","slug":"%d1%80%d1%8d%d1%86%d1%8d%d0%bd%d0%b7%d1%96%d1%8f-doden-grotte-smaug-southern-lords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bagnik-zine.net\/en\/rev\/3683\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: DODEN GROTTE \/ SMAUG \u2013 Southern Lords"},"content":{"rendered":"

Year:<\/span> 2025
\nLabel:<\/span> Metal Race Records<\/a>
\nRating:<\/span> 6,66 \/ 10<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the new releases of Metal Race this year is the split of the former Astrakhan, and now St. Petersburg DODEN GROTTE and Stavropol SMAUG. With this release, Metal Race continues to immerse itself in Black Metal, which it had previously tried to avoid.<\/p>\n

I've known about DODEN GROTTE for a long time, but I've never listened to them, because the name of this band is kind of ridiculous, and I don't trust the black metallers whose works were released on Sound Age and Dark East Prods. But almost all the other projects of the members of this band do not raise uncomfortable questions, and everything is technically fine within the framework of DODEN GROTTE. The guys try to be ideological and serious, strive for the right aesthetics and traditional sound. They have decent riffs and even modest arrangements with a claim to epicness. Two things spoil all this very much: 1) the standard and bored Russian sound that lacks of character; 2) the vocals that are aesthetically incorrect (the screams should be inhuman and possessed, not just some kind of punk\/hardcore angry screeching; and even more so, a clean voice should not be allowed into such music). Also, DODEN GROTTE side of this split is desecrated by the idiotic cover on \u0413\u0420\u0410\u0416\u0414\u0410\u041d\u0421\u041a\u0410\u042f \u041e\u0411\u041e\u0420\u041e\u041d\u0410 which would sound appropriately only as a B-side of IMPALED NAZARENE or someone similar.<\/p>\n

SMAUG is the project of Sauron, former vocalist of BAAL ZEBUTH. Bagnik Zine readers may remember it by the debut album<\/a>. On the split, all instrumental and technical aspects are dealt with by Helge Gabriel and certain Youriy. The pros and cons of SMAUG's material are almost the same as DODEN GROTTE's, but everything is a little better here. The sound is deeper and more peculiar, the music is more grandiose and old-fashioned, the vocals are just a little bit more demonic. Them keyboard parts are really good, too. If DODEN GROTTE was most likely inspired by the Swedes, then SMAUG looked at the Norwegians and Finns. There's a cover here too, but on ENTHRONED, and it doesn't stand out at all. If you don't know that this is a cover, then you can mistake it for another track of the Stavropol band.<\/p>\n

As a result, we have a pretty solid Black Metal split that doesn't deserve nor praises, nor scolding. In my opinion, for DODEN GROTTE it makes sense to focus on finding their sound (in technical sense), and for SMAUG \u2013 to learn how to write better songs.Just like on the first album, they constantly seem to be trampling near the line separating \"strong\u201d from \"excellent\". By the way, the sound on the album was also better in many aspects.<\/p>\n

The CD edition from Metal Race is made in strict white and black color and has a minimalistic 4-page booklet - without lyrics, unfortunately. Details on a video<\/a>.<\/p>\n