This is the fifth album from Czech band Panychida, who play black metal.
I enjoyed 2013’s Grief for an Idol, and especially liked 2016’s Haereticalia – The Night Battles, so when it came once more to partake in a further round of Panychida’s brand of black metal, I couldn’t resist.
On Gabreta Aeterna Panychida have altered course slightly, adopting a much greater heavy/speed metal influence in their sound. This is then wrapped in the band’s aggressive black metal, and augmented by folk elements that infect the lead guitars. The music blends sharp riffing with folky melodies, and there are lots of decent solos on the record. The songs have a characterful delivery that imbues them with a personality all of their own.
Clean vocals occasionally appear, as do other types of delivery such as spoken word, and these are performed well. The main mode of delivery is harsh blackened screams, however, which work very effectively with the music.
Panychida continue to walk their own blackened path into the woods. Give this a listen and see what you think. On the band’s journey there’s plenty to experience.
