Darzamat - Solfernus' Path

Tracks
1. False Sleepwalker
2. Vote for Heresy
3. I Devium
4. Pain Collector
5. Final Conjuration
6. II Fumus
7. Gloria Inferni
8. III Venenum
9. Solfernus Path
10. Lunar Silhouette
11. King of the Burning Anthems
12. IV Spectaculum
13. Chimera
14. Mesmeric Seance


Band:
Agnieszka "Nera" Górecka - Vocals
Rafał "Flauros" Góral - Vocals
Krzysztof "Chris" Michalak - Guitars, Bass
Patryk "Spectre" Kumór - Keyboards
Mariusz "Rogol" Prętkiewicz - Drums


Discography:
In the Flames of Black Art (1997)
In the Opium of Black Veil (MCD)(1999)
Oniriad (2003)
Semidevilish (2004)
Transkarpatia (2005)
Live Profanity(Visiting the Graves of Heretics)DVD (2007)


Info:
Produced by Andy Laroque


Guests:
Andy Laroque - Guitar
Roy "Maurice" Mayorga

Released 29/8-2009
Reviewed 27/10-2009


Links:
darzamat.pl
myspace
massacre

From the dark and magick woods in Poland comes this band of players and a growler along with a female singer. They belong to the mythological side of things with music that plays on things like forests and parks in the darker parts of the Polish landscape, or something like that.

Darzamat is apparently the name of a deity that is the guardian of forests and parks in the Slavonic and that is something they play on very much in their music and lyrical themes as well as their live shows, at least if I am to believe my friend Internet who told me that it is like that, there is lots of information in the mind of internet but some of it is conflicting when it comes to this band so I trust the one from the record company instead of the different things internet says. Well anyways I guess the information on this is more or less accurate. But still, it is not about image, myths or that, it is what comes out of the speakers when you start playing the record.

So what is it that comes out of the speakers? Well it is not the standard rock music as the likes of Rolling Stones and such, it is much more sophisticated than that. Still in another way it is not nearly as sophisticated, it is dark and powerful, yet mesmerising and mysterious.

So is it any good? Well I would say it is. It is dark and mysterious, yet contains that gothic beauty and beast concept while still being different enough to stand out from a possible crowd of similar bands. I especially like the spoken part in the opening track, they are so mysterious and dark and sets an interesting tone for the record a tone the band keeps up throughout this record.

However, there is one flaw with this record. The lack of real hit songs is a problem that bothers me every time I listen to this record. Still it is a good and powerful record with many good songs despite the fact that the real killer tracks are missing.

All in all their concept works well, the vocal symbiosis between lighter and darker and the music is all the same. All songs are rather good and makes a point for this record to the audiences.

So in the end I approve this record but with some reservations, the missing hit songs is a negative that is hard to overlook. Still I say this is a very good record, especially for you who likes the somewhat darker side of the metal genre.

HHHHHHH

Label - Massacre Records
Three similar bands - Agathodaimon/Illdisposed/Disbelief
Rating: HHHHHHH
Reviewer: Daniel Källmalm
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