All the work by one S (Sergiy Tkachenko) SVRM has been an unknown entity (to me anyway) from Kharkiv, Ukraine, atmospheric balck metal scene. This is the same scene that gave us Drudkh and my personal long-time favorite Khors. After listening to the re-release of the first demo 7, it looks like I need to do better uncovering SVRM other works.

Wasting no time, the demo is only four rather short tracks, SVRM plunges into urgent, raw, emotive tremolo on Mir (World), which immediately captivates. The production is purposefully (?) lo-fi, which gives off an impression of diffuse, almost non-stop wall of sound with very few clearings. Tremolo riffing, melodic progressions and fire-breathing vocals may have been all standard fare, but with SVRM everything is so urgent and edgy, it feels honest and fresh. Everything cuts right to the bone. The soaring opening of Otchayanie (Desperation) followed by acoustic and horror atmosphere, high notes in I, melodies in Otchayanie around 2’20” and 2’50” in Ijust rip as roaring fire escape from the hearth. Over the course of demo 7 SVRM becomes a thundering unison, all feelings raw and naked, confluencing into one pure exaltation. Just as things start to grind and be repetitive in I, melody comes to the rescue, and vibrations above almost industrial bottom gusto in Zagrobnoe (Beyond the grave) make things look bottomless and cosmic.

Whether 7 is more triumph or tragedy is a very interesting dilemma. Look at the cover and seek your own meaning, while enjoying one powerful set of songs, even if some endings here are cut short, making them indeed idea seedlings and sketches I hope SVRM went on to develop more fully.