Lava Invocator are a Ukrainian black metal band and this is their debut album.
This is classic black metal, traditionally played with hatred and fervour.
Think a mix of bands such as Darkthrone, Mayhem, Dissection, and Dark Funeral to get an idea of the playing field they inhabit.
The intro track Awaken adequately sets the scene, starting with an ambient build up that reminds me of the 90s, before raging forth with blistering blast beats. The entire track is under two and a half minutes in length, but makes an impression and sets the scene for the rest of the album.
After this, the songs blur by in storms of aggression and grim nastiness. They’re largely fast and brutally melodic, but also have slower and mid-paced sections. These latter parts are well-placed to avoid feelings of repetition or boredom, although to be fair the band are quite talented at this style so thankfully I don’t think there’s too much opportunity to lose interest even if they were to stick to just one tempo.
A combination of screams and growls are used for the vocals, and both of them sound great. The production backs everything up, providing the band with a professional workspace to inhabit, while also keeping enough grit and underground grime to please the purists.
An album like Mörk is definitely for fans of the orthodox style. Revelling in its second wave worship, Lava Invocator show a real proficiency in their songwriting skills, and Mörk held my attention throughout its sub-40 minute length, drawing me back to it after it had finished too.
Mörk is a very enjoyable and satisfying slice of dark, black metal. Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 