Year: 2013
Stark Denial’s debut is a record
that has been much awaited by hordes of Black Metal fans in India. This band
who has been active in the scene since 2006, is one of the integral forces behind the Black Metal Krieg fest. After three years, and two editions of the gig, the
third edition of Black Metal Krieg will also serve as the album release show
for Stark Denial. Now, the question on everybody’s mind is, is the debut worth
the long wait? Or does the expectations created by the wait itself, bog down
the quality of this release?
The debut EP is titled ‘War’ and
as the name suggests, it is an EP whose theme is that of bloody battles. The
four tracks on this record, deals with the various stages associated with the
phenomenon of war. This concept is portrayed musically in the form of some
abrasive and dark black metal tunes.
The EP kick starts with an intro
track that sounds like a massive legion marching into battle, destroying and
crushing anything and everything that stands in its path. Following the intro
is the track, ‘Gates of War’, which is a slow to mid paced track filled with a
chilling atmosphere. The frantic tremolo parts in this track create a tense
atmosphere which would very much be the case before the start of the battle.
Following this the listener is greeted by ‘Wrath’, which starts out on a slow
atmospheric note, but eventually grows into a eclectic tune with fast and
treble high guitar riffs complemented by a steady double bass action from the
drummer.
The final part of the war saga is
‘Conquering Thy Enemies Throne’, which is the culmination of the act. The song
contains some very well written riffs that sound very dark while carrying just
the right amount of melody in it. At the end of the record is Stark Denial’s tribute
to the Swedish black metal giants, Marduk, where they cover famous track ‘Panzer
Division Marduk’. It is a near perfect cover of the original and serves as a really
good tribute for Marduk.
Performance wise, there is
nothing lacking in this EP. The high treble guitar work and the low bass, form
a complete package with neat deliveries on both ends of the spectrum. The
drumming is as tight as it can get, as the drummer keeps dishing out a steady
dosage of blast beats and fills. The vocals by Kunal Gonsalves sound bone
chillingly sick. He brings out the theme
in each track with the help of the dark atmosphere that enshrouds the whole EP.
The production is that of a
typical black metal style. The mixing deserves praise for keeping all elements
in the music at an audible level while also giving the required amount of
importance to the chilling atmosphere. Overall, ‘War’ is an EP that is sure to
fill the appetite of all black metal heathens who have been waiting for this
record to see the light of day.
Rating: 88%
Stark Denial is organizing and playing at Black Metal Krieg 3 on December 8th, 2013.
S
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