Strigoi – Bathed in A Black Sun EP

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U.K.’s blackened death/doom metal act Strigoi released its brand-new EP “Bathed in A Black Sun” on November 3rd, 2023, through Season of Mist. The new outing contains four unreleased songs from the recording session of the band’s full-length album “Viscera” and one released track which was released on the album. There is a certain monolithic heaviness in the guitar tone and bleak darkness surrounding the music overall. Strigoi’s lineup includes Greg Mackintosh (guitars, vocals), Chris Casket (bass guitar), and Guido Zima (drums) and, Ben Ash (guitar) both made their appearance on the sophomore release.

Strigoi’s sonic niche crossed all the boundaries of doom metal where the band presented a simmering mix of blackened elements. And although Greg Mackintosh had embedded an abrasive and dark brooding sense on the previous album, this time the composition comes with an exclusive offering to fans. In the opening of “Bathed in A Black SunStrigoi’s immeasurable weight is focused on the plodding drums, heavy guitars, and dark industrial gloominess that overwhelms the listener. The resulting music maintains a chilly, miserable atmosphere and draws a barren landscape of grim life forms.

You’ll feel a morbid sensation once the following track “The Grotesque” explodes into a turmoil of the blasting drums and the rhythm guitars spread across the guttural growls pouring venom into your soul. Sharp chainsaw riffs kicking in the style of crust black metal, emphasizing some old-school punk elements and some heavy doom metal riffs. The guitars are indescribably powerful and leaden, with thick tremolos offering something malignant.

The band imposes a filthy brutal sound through the fast drumming of Guido Zima as he grasps his fierce blitzkrieg attitude to the whirring riffs. The guitars show a tight grip on crust death metal, which boosts adrenaline energy, Chris Casket’s throbbing bass guitar adds up to the rhythm guitars. “A Spear of Perfect Grief” drills some disturbing noise into your ears and while the bass riff contributes to the notion of the four new tracks, Strigoi somehow takes a different approach.

Infectious old-school riffs shuffle into the classic Swedish death metal, whereas Greg Mackintosh infuses tons of brutality into the mix and somehow Strigoi shows us its morbid and ugly sound in covering the aspects of crust, punk, and death metal. “Bathed in A Black Sun” slightly sways from the dark style of blackened death/doom metal, though the doom metal elements are still present in some tracks. Most of the songs build up in a heavy up-tempo without losing the raw intensity of the guitars.

There are some slow parts in the opening track showcasing the ominous doom metal riffs, unfortunately, the EP wraps under fourteen minutes, and the music slowly sucks you deep into a black void. The performance is top-notch, showing the visceral talent of the band in unleashing furious, fast-paced brutality. Even though the EP doesn’t feature any slow ominous doom metal riffs like the ones in the album “Viscera”, there is still something brutal to behold about the crust death/black metal-packed riffs, therefore riffs on the EP are soaked in utter filth.

The final track “The Construct of Misery” hits you with a crowbar and begins with a direct emphasis on the chainsaw distorted riffs. When the drums execute a powerful section of clinical blast beats and leave you floored by the whammy effect of the guitar solo. Fierce and simultaneously old-schoolish in its simplicity and songwriting aspect, and makes you feel like you’re listening to a brutalized version of an unreleased Entombed song!

REVIEW SCORE

  • Music / Songwriting 8/10
  • Vocals / Lyrics 8/10
  • Mix / Production 10/10
  • Artwork & Packaging 8/10
  • Originality 9/10
8.6

“Bathed in A Black Sun” isn’t just any release from this blackened death doom quartet, but it’s a must for the diehard fans!

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