Formed in 2018 in Toruń, Polish crew Angrrsth immediately hit the bullseye with their debut EP Znikąd released that same year. The high musical standard set by that EP was maintained by their first album Donikąd which dropped three years later. Continuing their upward trajectory, sophomore full-length Złudnia finds this Polish quartet further refining their sound to deliver a red-hot, razor-sharp brand of black metal that goes straight for the jugular and takes no prisoners.
That Angrrsth mean business becomes immediately apparent when opening track ‘Kolejna Pętla’ comes bursting from the speakers. With no warning it appears like a bullet between the eyes, you feel it before you see it, and that makes it’s sudden arrival all the more potent. It’s a swirling maelstrom, the sound of the universe being born, a rip in the fabric of time and suddenly Angrrsth appear. Furious blast beats and caustic, paint-stripping vocals assail the listener from every direction, while a riff, so serrated it could cut your fingers, slices through the air like a circular saw. As with the sleeve in which this album is housed, ‘Kolejna Pętla’ (and, indeed, the whole album) is rich in symbolism and the sound contained within is multidimensional and like a (black) diamond fractures light in every direction, offering an array of wormholes for the listener to explore.
Poland has definitely claimed ownership of black metal, yet bands such as Angrrsth aren’t merely regurgitating the genre and are bringing something fresh to the party and are pounding it into their own form. A prime example would be the sound of this album; whilst the first wave of Norwegian black metal was brittle and reedy, Złudnia is rich and lustrous, with Angrrsth painting their sound from a wide palette. Whilst black metal was once very monochrome, Złudnia shades its songs with blood reds, charred yellows and burnt orange, and is the soundtrack to a world perishing in flames. Unlike the first wave, Angrrsth don’t have an aversion to melody or song structure and tracks such as ‘Amor Fati’ contain plenty of groove and swing, and they have a (effortless) crossover appeal that will not only appeal to adherents of extreme metal, but more traditional metalheads, too. While Złudnia doesn’t stray too far from the path of black metal, there’s enough invention here to bring a fresh perspective and subsequently, it has no trouble in holding the listener’s attention over its 40-minute running time.
Like a leaden Nordic sky unleashing a raging torrent, ‘Widziałem Go’ makes for an arresting conclusion and one which bookends the album perfectly. Angrrsth have set the bar impossibly high for the rest of their career and it will be interesting to see where they go from here, but for now enjoy the sound of black metal perfection.
- Złudnia is released via Godz Ov War Productions and is available now.
- Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Channel
Track List:
- Kolejna Pętla
- Mane, Tekel, Fares
- Próg
- Złudnia
- Amor Fati
- Solve Et Coagula
- Widziałem Go
