Krvvla - X
Brucia Records
Experimental Black Metal
8 songs (26:09)
Release year: 2022
Official Bandcamp, Brucia Records
Reviewed by Goat
Surprise of the month

Hailing from the currently fractious republic of Belarus and playing a darkly experimental form of blackened metal that simultaneously walks between traditional and modern strains of the genre, Krvvla are a revelation. Starting life as an instrumental trio before adding a vocalist several EPs in, the bluntly titled X is the band's debut full-length and it's already a showcase for the four-piece's dark vision. As you'd expect from that abstract yet bleak cover art, a kind of nightmarish forest with hints of light overwhelmed by the darkness, Krvvla's music is technical but atmospheric enough to cast a pall. Deathspell Omega and the dissonant blackened world is an influence; yet the dramatic sludge of Cobalt's earlier works can be heard clearly too, in the raw guitar tone and shifting vocals that mix howls and deep growls together. There's also perhaps a hint of Neurosis-ean post-metal in some of the band's shifts into low-gear, although Krvvla are very obviously a blackened act and any other influences get swallowed into the maelstrom.

It's at their loudest and most chaotic when the band are most engrossing, keeping your attention even as tracks flow in and out of each other and you get sucked into the morass. After a sinister intro XI, all ominous hums and threatening whispers, the band soon launch into crushing piece after crushing piece that form one long nightmarish journey. At just over 26 minutes long this is perfectly judged, not wasting a moment or indulging in bloat. There aren't really spaces between songs, or indeed a great deal of individual differences although several listens and you do pick out oddly terrifying moments like the manic female laughter of XV. And later the structures are looser and more at risk of collapsing, the nervous, shifty XVII moving constantly compared to earlier, more solid constructions of noise like the galloping XII, one of the most 'traditional' pieces present.

This is, of course, hardly a traditional experience overall, but you can see the roots of black metal represented strongly here, particularly in the atmosphere. The most modern moment here is a groovy little breakdown in XIII, bass twangs particularly notable (as they are throughout) yet it's soon forgotten when the blastbeat-heavy assault renews, and it doesn't feel out of place. Outro XVIII is downright frightening, all dungeon ambience and echoing, strange screeches, like something from a particularly creepy horror film. And although the band are a Colin Marston-related experience, the Krallice guitarist responsible here for the guitar reamping and general mixing/mastering, Krvvla are definitely their own beast. Recommended for necronauts who enjoy the descent into Hades; definitely not a fun experience, or one that you'll want to repeat too many times, but a compelling trip to take from a hugely interesting addition to the modern black metal landscape.

Killing Songs :
XII, XIV, XVII
Goat quoted 84 / 100
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