Review by Krys on July 19, 2006.

To make it short and to the point Sweden's Scar Symmetry second offering can be described as more melodic and more brutal than its highly acclaimed debut. At first those two adjectives might contradict each other but that's exactly what "Pitch Black Progress" is. On top of more memorable hooks and much catchier melodies this album is also more powerful and destructive. Both those aspects are integrated flawlessly and delivered by very skilled musicians that have no limits to styles, genres or instruments played. From brutal death metal riffs to melodic, memorable choruses and anything in between those five lads deliver one fantastic track after the other. Special recognition should be paid to the vocalist Christian Alvestam who switches from clean, melodic singing to sturdy growls effortlessly, in both cases delivering very powerful performance. It's only their sophomore release but Scar Symmetry already emerges on top of the genre, musicianship and originality sets them head and shoulders above the rest.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 10
Originality: 9
Overall: 9

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Review by Felix on October 9, 2023.

Azaghal, in business since 25 years, is one of the most robust bands in terms of Finnish black metal. This is no matter of course, because there is only one guy (Narqarth) who builds the firm backbone of the line-up. His comrades from 2002 have left the band, others came and went and so on. Nevertheless, some great records have been released under the banner of Azaghal; „Omega“, „Nemesis“, many more. I freely admit that „Of Beasts and Vultures“ is no candidate for their top five works, but certainly some of its songs are worth listening.

Slightly questionable is the raw sound. The guitars do not really have an organic touch. They do not sound bad, but one has to get used to it. Anyway, there are no serious deficits and I am happy that the precisely played double bass has the position it deserves. Thus, the carpet is rolled out for great songs and Narqarth and his companions do not hesitate to perform their own material. Too bad that they also could not resist the temptation of adding a Bathory cover. It is impossible to make the songs of „In the Sign of the Black Mark“ better than they are on the original album. But that’s not all – Azaghal’s version of „13 Candles“ is surprisingly weak, lame and powerless. It’s almost a desecration of this classic.

Either way, their self-composed titles show more fury, more courage and more aggression. But apart from these more or less predictable attributes, the band has also integrated virtually experimental elements. The first three songs demonstrate this. „Helwettiläinen“ surprises with a long atmospheric parts with foaming waves. „Welho“ is not only a demonstration of total destruction, but houses very sick singing and a dreamy, drug-imbued segment as well. Finally, „Reign“ delivers avant-garde vocals (and, by the way, fantastic riffing). Brutality is an important ingredient, especially in „Reign“, but it is not the only one. Despite or exactly because of this fact we get high quality stuff from the Finns.

The experimental or at least variable side of Azaghal shimmers through the next song as well. The solid “Kaikki elävä kuihtuu” houses a nearly absurdly mild part. After this track, unfortunately we are entering the problematic zone. It is not only the meaningless intermezzo on the sixth position, although this number already kills the flow of the album. More annoying is that the following tracks cannot compete with the first four songs. They fall victim to their incoherence (“Peto – 666”) or appear half-finished (“Verenjano”). The shortcomings of the output’s second half are the reason why “Of Beasts and Vultures” only sees the rear lights of the most thrilling Azaghal records. Anyway, the album also shows that the line-up from that period did not lack potential. It seems rather as if the band was not able to channel its numerous ideas in a song-friendly manner. A venial sin, but it has an impact on the overall impression.

Rating: 6.7 out of 10