Downcross are a black metal band from Belarus and this is their sixth album.
White Tower contains 43 minutes of melodic black metal. It’s sharp and well-performed, and Downcross showcase what they’re capable of with attitude and force.
At first glance White Tower presents as something you might have heard a million times before, but actually there’s a lot more going on here than you would expect. The songwriting is frequently creative and always engaging. There is an emotive component that raises the quality levels, with the band’s songwriting having a lot of depth and layers to it.
The music is well-crafted and influenced by the black metal old-school. Within this Downcross reveal themselves to be no stranger to the more obscure and esoteric realms of the 90s, making for music that revels in a characterful display of melodic might. There is also a classic heavy metal feel to some of the guitar parts, the leads in particular.
The songs are ripe with potent riffs and melodies. Some of these are relatively straightforward, yet effective, while others take more arcane and abstruse routes to get to their intended destinations. Either way, it’s clear that Downcross not only know their style well, but are adept at twisting it to their own will.
I have enjoyed Downcross’ nuanced take on classic-inspired melodic black metal. Their music is not only entertaining, but interesting too. Highly enjoyable as background fare, but also capable of standing up to close scrutiny, White Tower is a superior slice of cosmic black metal.
Wonderbox Metal 