R E V I E W
Face the Giant
Eric D.R.
Year: 2019
Genre: Alpine Black Metal
Label: Vacula Production
Label: Vacula Production
Country: Italy
Line Up:
Vastis - vocals
Astaroth - guitars
Tohrus - guitars
Zedar - bass
Goraath - drums
"Face the Giant" is the
second full length of Stormcrow, and despite it was recorded in 2019,
the sensation is that we're listening to a release coming from the darkness of the 90's. After a short atmospheric intro, it is time to
get into the inner core of the album; an evocative Black-Death marked
by obscure and thick sounds yet well distinct, which by one hand they
remind to underground middle 90's releases, but at the same time they
don't refuse to masterly use a more contemporary quality. Vocals are not centered on an
aggressive style, but on the creation of acid, swollen but
rhythmic background, whose narration well intertwines with the whole
composition, and it shows the highest Black Metal influences of the
band. Guitar riffing is well structured and
accompanied by a bass guitar work which contributes to recreate those
raw and atmospherical melodies, much beloved by middle 90's albums.
We can also notice that the guitar's phrasings often blink the eye to
the most aggressive Swedish melodic Death Metal, catching here and
there the majesty of early At the Gates and the compositional variety
of early Dark Tranquillity era ( Skydancer, to set an example ).The drumming is varied, well-composed.
We don't find extremely fast blast beats, but a definite and solid
composition without exceeding meaningless technicalities : snare drum
is powerful and not invasive, cymbals are refined but they would have
deserved much more attention during the mixing process, whose lack
goes in contrast with a too much definite kick drum. In general, " Face the Giant "
is an excellent work, able to bring back in time the lovers of the
extreme side of music which doesn't avoid primordial atmospheres but
filled with north European folk poetry. Well played and composed,
harsh yet existentially epic, whose cover artwork and an accurate
production sum up all the work and the concept.
Eric D.R.
