This is the debut EP from international black metal act Blvgth.
Across 19 minutes Blvgth showcase their dark talents, and showcase them very well they certainly do.
The Calling opens things effectively enough. Although I’m never really a fan of intros, at least this one is not a complete waste of space.
The Seeker’s Sojourn Among Chaotic Ruin is ominous and fast. It’s a scathing mass of riffs and grim vocals – piercing screams and monstrous growls – that hurtles along with frosted intensity. The singer sounds inhuman, and her performance throughout this release is exemplary. Discordant sounds are used too, introducing an avant-garde feeling of kaleidoscopic nightmare atmosphere that’s infectious.
Following this we have the EP’s longest cut Like Sun Breaks Through Winter. Beginning with warped sounds, the track displays a more atmospheric side to Blvgth that’s compelling. Less feral than its predecessor and more mood-focused, it’s reminiscent of the older underground Cascadian scene, combined with even older, 90s elements. The band’s talented singer adds clean singing to her repertoire here too, and these vocals are striking and powerful.
Disillusioned, Amongst Wolves then bursts from its shackles; brutal aggression and eerie sounds assault the listener, driving home a dual attack of blistering blunt force trauma and unsettling noises. Roughly halfway through the track it slows and becomes moody, with spoken word that surprisingly only adds to the track’s impact, before spending the last minute ramping up the speed and atmosphere. I have to say, the strange, otherworldly sounds on this song, (and others), is really well-done; subtle, but effective.
We close the EP with Whose Lamplighter Glows. Due to its sub-three-minute duration I was concerned it would turn out to be some throwaway outro, but it’s actually another fast-paced rush of blackened hostility. The vocalist once again excels in her role, and the music is as detailed as it is visceral and intense.
With From Behind the Frosted Sun Blvgth have impressed. I can’t wait to hear more from this skilled new act.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 