Greece is one of the most consistent pillars of Black Metal. Home to bands that crafted a particular shape of Black Metal, one that still lingers in today’s ever populated scene. Bands like Rotting Christ, Varathron or Necromantia, with their sound, created a unique sound and vision of the genre, that still holds.
Leeches, assembled in 2020 by musicians from Greek Black Metal bands like Sørgelig, Dødsferd or Grab, crafted a very “close to the roots” – whatever that really means – Black Metal release. Stripped down of futile and useless gimmicks, the band shows that they are aware of how – in their perspective – the genre should be displayed. Cold and straight to the point, this is how I envision Black Metal, or at least this fringe of the genre, and Leeches does walk down that path. Guitar cutting through the vocals, the drums setting pace… as said before: no gimmicks, no beating around the bush, this is straight on Black Raw Metal. Production wise, it is what we were expecting: lo-fi enough to keep the overall creation buried beneath piles and piles of dirt and bones.
5 tracks, more than enough to showcase that these Greeks keep the ancient rules – if I may say – of 90s Black Metal. (DanielP)
