Black Metal History Month-KRVVLA : "X"

 This band from Belarus meets at the crossroads of screamo and black metal. It's dark chaos so I am not opposed to it. There are some more punk minded riffs showing up on the first song that are Marduk like.  The second song is even heavier with lower death metal vocals rather than the scathing screaming it opened with. This song proves to be more interesting from a song writing perspective as the it drops down into a more palm muted riff that creates a shift in tension. Normally at this point with any band that hits you as being heavy as fuck, you are left wondering after the assault if they can actually write a song and this band was quick to clear up any confusion in that regard. However, it does run together with the third song, so the intensity of the blasting chaos creates a rather uniform din.   

"XV" finds the vocals serving more of a purpose, well at least the higher ones as the lower growls just are a static reverberation.     I could not tell you if they are being growled in their native tongue or not.  The more chilling dissonance of the guitar that rings out going into "XVI" is sonically heavier in its darkness that the rapid-fire feral attacks they have already launched. It reminds me more of Portrayal of Guilts flirtations with the line where screamo and black metal meet. Though this band is not quite on that same level, in terms of dynamics or the scope of colors they terrorize you with.

The songs do begin to bleed together more as I did not notice I was already on "XVII" until I went back to the tab I was streaming it on. It is more chaotic and a din of dark sharp-edged guitar and screaming. There is more sound than song there. The last song is more of an outro than an actual song, just screams running through effects.  I will give this album an 8.5, they are more savage than just being another Deafheaven clone. There is a great deal of potential and if you want your black metal heavier than most of the other new black metal coming out these days give this album a shot. It is being released on Brucia Records.