Of all the different avenues that are to be travelled down in the sprawling landscape that black metal has carved out for itself over the decades, there's always something to be said for those bands that go off and do their own thing even if it's deviating from established pathways ever so slightly. A band that does their own thing is far from an uncommon sight in the current state of the black metal realms, and it's always a sight to behold when one comes around and really does it well to quite an impressive degree. With only a single album out to their name before now, Absque Cor was already more than adept at bringing their many influences together for a cohesive sound that was as foreboding as it was packed with taste. For their sophomore creation, though, it's clear that Absque Cor dug deeper to bring their own personality into the mix.
Even for those who have been doing it for years across many albums, too many ingredients in any given pot can result in things getting out of hand pretty easily if you're not taking everything into consideration and making the right adjustments. Intricate black metal like what Absque Cor has brought to the table for "Na zawsze cieniem..." is no different. If anything, the album is a prime example of how excellent the results can be when everything has been crafted by deft and purposeful hands. A deep excursion into the soul through mythical forests laden with snow very much like what that cover art evokes, Absque Cor knows how to peel apart the sorrows of our very souls with loads of intricacies and focused attacks upon the soul's core of the sort that leaves one no less than staggering by the raw ferocity of such an offensive. "Na zawsze cieniem..." is fiercely competent at what it dares to bring to the table be it in the form of a straightforward attack through immense power, surprising melodies born out of the conflict for a shift unexpected, or a respite through gorgeous atmospheres that really know how to command one's attention right from the beginning. Absque Cor spared nothing and nobody in the crafting of this magnificent piece with the layers of the work really peeling back into one another to constantly reveal something fresh and invigorating into a mix that was already nothing to underestimate nor be trifled with, and Absque Cor does it all in spectacular fashion.
Far from what I would consider to be an album out of left field from the world of black metal given all that there is to take into consideration, Absque Cor has done a terrific job at subverting expectations and going all in to really make this a performance that can really be called their own right from the beginning. "Na zawsze cieniem..." is a mysterious creation that weaves its magic in exceedingly mysterious ways with only those who are fully committed to unravelling those secrets ever having any real hope of understanding the magnificence that's behind this record at damn near every turn. The only thing you must do is allow Absque Cor to take you where it may.
"Na zawsze cieniem..." releases on November 24th via Godz ov War Productions!
LISTEN to an advanced track from "Na zawsze cieniem..." on Bandcamp here, or via YouTube below.
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