Info
- Band(s): Stygian Storm
- Label(s): Abyssal Spectra, Cold Northern Breeze Records, Escafismo Records
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl, Cassette, CD
- Release Year: 2024
- Review Date: July 23, 2024
- Author(s): LV
Stygian Storm are a band formed in the municipality of Badalona, Catalonia, Spain by two, very experienced Spanish musicians, Crucifier and Tyrant, members of Nagyszeben, Prophets of Doom, Calderum, Sanctuarium, to name but a few, with the sole purpose/goal to play orthodox old school Black Metal.
You might have heard such bold phrases before – but at VM-Underground our attention peaked and we opted for a closer look or scrupulous listening session if you want.
‘The Flame of Rebellion never dies’ the album is called. Six blood churning Black Metal manifestations are puked out in due fashion with grim rasping vocals, a harsh cavernous reverb and with eerie keyboard bursts, female vocals and mystical effects that add a truly old school feeling to this Iberian act of darkness.
Stygian Storm walk it the way they talk it, alright. With monumental chords, churning guitars mid-paced stompers flowing into blast beat frenzy, classical interludes of the keyboards and above all these wonderful heretical vocals that give you an almost epic and barbaric sensation when listening to it.
All 6 tracks aren’t commercial, nor catchy in any sense, but the songs tend to linger in your head days after listening. Atmosphere and craftsmanship are amongst the highest on this album. And everything sounds pretty damn spontaneous instead of being calculated, sterile and pre-conceived. No fakes on this album!
This is no-nonsense Black Metal from the Second Wave – the golden Age of Black Metal, when the genre kept inventing itself, mutating itself only to spread as an infectious black virus to the 4 corners of this pestilent earth. It’s old school second wave but with a balanced production and still traditional and raw enough to please nowadays’ millennium kiddies. The songs are about medieval battles, darkness, arcane traditionalism, medieval bleakness, sword fights, sieges, wolves and they’re all done in the finest tradition of Second Wave Black Metal.
We recently covered the Greek Wampyrinacht album and I get the uncanny feeling that some bands are harking back to the ways of old, the era where Black Metal music could still cause damage amongst its listeners and corrupt their little innocent souls.
Maybe we’re on the eve of a revival as everything tends to go in circles.
In short: I’d give a 10/10 for its audacious traditional sound, top notch musicianship and ditto production. ‘The Flame of Rebellion never dies’ is truly a dark black gem to everyone ought to have in their collection, when it comes to the Iberian scene or Second Wave Black Metal in general. Release date is set for August 5, so get out those Euro cents now for a vinyl of your choice, cassette or CD. And remember – you heard it on VM-Underground first!
Cold Northern Breeze Records
- Country: Germany
- Style: Black Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram
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Escafismo Records
- Country: Spain
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Youtube
