Word has it that CDs and tapes are in the works for this release, and that's good news. I am always telling bands they need to have physical product, even if it's strictly limited due to demand. Serious bands have physical product! On to the music. This is perfectly performed and recorded black metal from Poland, their first full length. The production is good, but it emphasizes all the right things for black metal - it's not a "slick" production, but a natural-sounding one. There's plenty of separation, and each instrument is audible. It reminds me a bit of earlier (slower) Marduk from before Panzer Division, but only a little. This band has riffs, and tons of them, that take little surprise turns here and there and some manage a surprising amount of heaviness for black metal. Vocally, the singer sounds spiteful and hate-filled, the way black metal ought to be, with strong mid-range growled vocals. The songs are tastefully arranged and are well-written with a ton of hooks, which is rare in black metal today. I listed to this record three times before I wrote this review, since I wanted to convey it's sound a bit better, and each time it was more rewarding.
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Wolven Vault--Draconic Rites (Digital) {2025 Independent}
Word has it that CDs and tapes are in the works for this release, and that's good news. I am always telling bands they need to have physical product, even if it's strictly limited due to demand. Serious bands have physical product! On to the music. This is perfectly performed and recorded black metal from Poland, their first full length. The production is good, but it emphasizes all the right things for black metal - it's not a "slick" production, but a natural-sounding one. There's plenty of separation, and each instrument is audible. It reminds me a bit of earlier (slower) Marduk from before Panzer Division, but only a little. This band has riffs, and tons of them, that take little surprise turns here and there and some manage a surprising amount of heaviness for black metal. Vocally, the singer sounds spiteful and hate-filled, the way black metal ought to be, with strong mid-range growled vocals. The songs are tastefully arranged and are well-written with a ton of hooks, which is rare in black metal today. I listed to this record three times before I wrote this review, since I wanted to convey it's sound a bit better, and each time it was more rewarding.
