Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 06:04 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Greece
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Year: 2018
While the project of Nigredo is relatively new to the underground scene, it is consisted of two talented Greek musicians: the current Ravencult singer A., as well as the person responsible for most of the drumming in recent black / old school death releases from the country the later years, the machine-like Maelstrom. Upon first glance, I had thought that their name (meaning just “blackness”), was a reference to the Dead Congregation track but it might as well not be the case.
The band’s 2015 EP “Facets of Death” was really solid and was enjoyed a lot by this writer, even though it felt as just a side release of two great musicians who decided to record together. However, three years later, Nigredo brings out the punch that is “Flesh Torn – Spirit Pierced”, a full length album that establishes their name and intensifies the overall negativity that was ongoing to their previous mini-album. It is a record pure at intentions and heart, with furious attitude and attacking at all times, nothing less than what we would expect from them.
Relations to Ravencult are obvious and the listener will surely bring that band to mind when listening to this, mostly because of the same vocalist, who plays an important part in the final aural outcome of the songs, and since he is pretty much using the same singing techniques. Maelstrom’s drumming is once again monstrous and there are also several musical ties to Ravencult’s music, without producing the temptation to actually compare the two bands though. Therefore, the kind of furious black / thrash is indeed holding good, yet Nigredo can be found leaning towards black metal more, but very slightly.
Insane riffing blossoms in every track from start to finish, which constitutes to the high level performance in “Flesh Torn – Spirit Pierced”. When the band decides to slow down, a couple of times only among the firing hammering lines, some of the album’s top moments arise, as for example in the middle part of “Choronzon Possession”, my personal favorite off the album. Favorable riffs are also featured in “Sons of Worthlessness” and “Mental Glimpses at Cosmic Horrors”, but that’s again only my own picks.
It’s hard to find a flaw in this album, which doesn’t aim to be the most groundbreaking thing you’ve ever heard, yet in its direct sound, it is highly addictive and powerful. Energy is converged in the compositions, there are great vocals, great drumming, pompous production and damn awesome riffs. Fans of the Ravencult wagon should get their hands on this fine release without a second thought.
4,5/6
