Vorga – Striving Toward Oblivion (Review)

This is the debut album from Vorga, a German black metal band.

Here we have 45 minutes of sci-fi-themed black metal. It’s sharp and lethal, honed to a killing edge, and has a more technical delivery than that of your average black metal act.

Vorga have a powerful sound and use this to their advantage. Intense and aggressive, the band’s scathing assault is augmented by engaging melodies that twist and turn in the mind. The songs are energetic and characterful, bringing a certain level of melodic death metal bite into their sound in places, while mainly forging ahead with their fast-paced blackened majesty. Striving Toward Oblivion is bright and shiny, but still has teeth. The melodic hooks are everywhere, lashing out from the music with spectral energy. The band’s melodic black metal also has an atmospheric sheen that is as compelling as it is well-delivered.

Amidst the intricately-wrought carnage lie occasional explosions of riffs the likes of which you rarely find in black metal these days. Vorga know how to tear out a killer riff just as much as they know how to slice into your skill with sharp melodic shards or swamp you with layers of atmospheric grandeur.

Striving Toward Oblivion is a strong debut album from Vorga. If you’re a fan of melodic black metal, then this is for you.

Highly recommended.