Review by Felix on January 29, 2020.

I confess: my first vinyl was not AC/DC, Kiss or even Black Sabbath. As a child, I had some records with fairy tales or children’s stories about trolls, goblins and all that stuff. Almost 45 years later, I feel like I have gone back in time. Malokarpatan’s third album is also filled to the brim with gnomish stuff. Thank God, they did not forget to integrate some metallic parts as well. Anyway, it is not easy to find access to their sound. Firstly, five songs with a playtime of more than 48 minutes are always a difficult configuration and secondly, the crude mix of folklore, atmospheric sequences and black metal sections is challenging in itself. Finally, we are speaking about a concept album and we know that this does not make things easier. Needless to say, the story is about witches, mysterious supernatural apparitions and further stuff for hobby-esoterics.

Imagine an album which has been recorded exactly in the middle between the outskirts of the North Carpathian forests and a dwarfish parallel universe and maybe than you have an exact picture of the sound of Krupinské Ohne (“The Fires of Krupina”). Even during the metallic parts, there is always a kind of magic in the air and some ghostly shadows surround the listener. Speaking of the typical metal sequences, they are formed by vintage riffing (every now and then, the seventies shimmer through), a few straight and speedy parts and, last but not least, the narrative, dark voice of the lead singer. A lot of reverb on his vocals emphasizes the unreal overall picture. Sometimes I am quite unsure whether or not this is a coherent concept, but even after two previous, more or less very well comparable full lengths, the offering of the Slovakian defenders of quirky metal is still charming. Indeed, I wish they would focus more on their harshest side (which is, by the way, not that harsh…), but I also do not feel the urgent need to skip the other sections. Nevertheless, some unusual parts with equally unusual instruments do not work. The third song, for example, would have been better without the primitive keyboard intermezzo in its center. It sounds like a leftover of early Nocturnus and conveys an outer space feeling. Guess this part was contributed by the main dwarf from the other universe.

Does a band have a soul? If this is the case, Malokarpatan’s one belongs to the pretty melancholic specimen. And it has an almost dreamy facet as well. Maybe this is the reason why the guitar-dominated sections do not really create an evil atmosphere. The pretty blurred guitar tone and the voice rule the sound without reaching the medium degree of common evilness. Okay, the mother tongue of the lead vocalist sounds slightly menacing in my ears (and some ohoho-screams in the closer are truly terrible), but this alone does not form an album which can be described as true black metal. So here we have a traditional work with black ingredients and extraordinary additions. Malokarpatan do not lack ambitions, but we know that it is a very thin line between genius and insanity and my silent hope is that they go one step back, returning to songs which come faster to the point. Krupinské Ohne is still a good album with a robust substance, but the band is in danger to fall victim to their own overproduction of ideas. Or maybe I just cannot forget my infantile socialization. My first vinyls told much less complex stories than Malokarpatan.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Alex on February 16, 2019.

Pig’s Blood impressed me with their 2017 s/t debut full-length record. It was manufactured utilizing some of the aspects I love about both death metal and black metal. The production was perfect for such a pummeling release, the guitars torched the session whilst the drums and vocals applied a brutal branding. However amidst all this greatness stood a band that would go insufficiently recognized for such a barbaric release. There were other bands at the time putting out credible material along the lines of the genre but never stood a chance against Pig’s Blood debut record; and even as a new face to the underground, the pedigree of the material delivered was stunningly high. With A Flock Slaughtered Pig’s Blood set-out to seize all that had been due to them and much more. With this new session in the abattoir, none of the sheeple are spared; all that was dreaded has now manifested with brute force. 

A Flock Slaughtered is an unmitigated bludgeoning from beginning to end. The essential ingredients for such a twisted display of domination are indeed present and in return offers a recording that is unforgettable. The drumming, heavy and consistent in its precise bashing, the guitars, ripe with both melody and rage, whilst the vocals deliver penetrating growls and grazing snarls, as filth is spouted without shame. Every track is supplied with a satisfactory dose of competent musicianship; the band clearly knows when to accelerate and slow its row. What has been a key identifier of Pig’s Blood music is the way they allow the tracks to set-in by playing at a moderate speed. With the opening track “Gates Ripped Open (Scum Choking out the Meek)”, the pacing is just right as it gives the vocalist the adequate amount of breathing room to emphasise his delivery and build-up his range simultaneously with the drums and guitars, thus adding a felt impact when the growls and snarls are presented. Even though the music is relatively mid-paced, in it lies a certain level of extremity and urgency that steadily grows as the music progresses from one track to another. 

What I have discovered during the numerous times listening to A Flock Slaughtered, lies within the new journey it generates on each repeat. It feels like a different record each time, with tiny twists and turns hiding under the hammering sound, when you make the discovery you are immediately delighted as if striking gold or finding a long lost jewel of yours. Those little moments mean much for a record that stands amongst very competitive bands of the genre, hence reinforcing the importance of offering something that sets your record apart from the rest in the quest for identity. Credit has to be bestowed upon Pig’s Blood for offering more than just a follow-up to their debut; by activating a more noticeably hybridized sound, they have been able to stand clear of stagnation. This is clearly a regiment that exhibits veteran skills though only 2 albums in. A Flock Slaughtered is the record that should certainly see more recognition and acclaim being given to Pig’s Blood. Even though this release is outstanding in many ways, I still believe Pig’s Blood have yet to meet their musical apogee.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10