Review by Alex on May 2, 2018.

Stillborn’s Crave For Killing is hate-filled black/death metal that sounds highly influenced by 1st wave black metal and old school death metal. There is some likeness to Bathory’s 1984 self-titled album (production wise) and also can be slightly compared to early Morbid Angel (Covenant era) in the vocal department. Stillborn’s Crave for Killing features frantic guitar solos, quick blast beats mixed with death metal vocals and sharp black metal barks backed up by a simple production, that is in no way detrimental to the album. Not that I would really care given the fact black/death metal has never been synonymous with anything approachable, particularly sound-wise. 

Songs like "Crave For Killing” display the vicious underbelly of what Stillborn is capable of unleashing. With vocals sounding like scornful snarls matched with a murderous maiming of the drum kit, the listener gets the message clearly that this bunch of misanthropes really hate the right-hand path religions and their followers. 

The guitar work sounds like a pack of wild animals had been set free in some suburban area of the world. The riffs roll across the record reeking unapologetic havoc in its unholy conquest. The bass is very low in the mix but provides enough force to add a heavier layer to the tin sounding snare drum. One can even compare the sound of the drum kit and even the overall sound of the album to ‘At the Announcement’ and ‘The Communion’ which was released by Chile’s Communion in August of 2017. 

The final track "Staroświeckość we mnie jest" is the totality of damage the way Stillborn understands it. It pours out the last molecules of unfiltered repugnance during its 6-minute assault on the holy. Should I have to pick any favorite tracks on the album I would select and recommend ‘Crave for Killing’, ‘To Be’ and 'Staroświeckość we mnie jest' which perfectly represents and fuel the artwork.

There seems to be a reemergence of the 1st wave of black metal. More bands are beginning to return to the days of the elder goat, when black metal was simplistic, purposeful, exclusively underground and walked the straight left-hand path where concept and ideology are concerned. There has also been an influenza of the ancients circulating within the underground for quite awhile (not that it ever went away), but has certainly seen more prominence since vinyl sales have spiked and become “the thing” again.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10