THEOTOXIN present a heavy piece of melodic black metal with a sharp, organic production. The rousing dynamic this album spreads is driven by various vocal styles, mainly evil screams and raspy growls, and an energetic pace. There is one exceptional track which appears more majestic than aggressive and this intense anthem, called "Two ancient spirits", is also my favourite. A modern and atmospheric release! H.L.
The first 30 seconds of "Revenge by Fire" convinced me to get the whole album! It is a face-melting blend of speed and black metal, reminiscent of Hellripper! KVAEN is a Swedish solo project much like Hellripper but many known guest musicians helped J. Björnfot in his endeavor. Altogether it is really a solid debut album, I loved the melodies and the pace changes in the second half too, ending with a "calm" instrumental one. Well-done!! sachavonkarl74
There's nothing groundbreaking about this album, except for the fact that it is built of the finest pieces the black metal genre has to offer, constructing a beast that is more than the sum of its parts, one with the power to crack the ground it rests upon, if it were one to ever rest. Therizo's songs are heavy and dynamic, vocals are deep, but the simple yet perfect black metal guitar melody that punctuates each song is what elevates this to a level above the rest.
This is my #4 album of 2023. rvss.eel