Napierdalać – The State of Love and War

Napierdalać is an extreme symphonic, Black/Death Metal band residing in Manchester, North West England, formed around 2021, their sound is being described by the band themselves as a combination of thunderous Death Metal and villainous Black Metal, combined with the heart-wrenching melodies and powerful sonic resonances of a symphonic orchestra. Napierdalać conjures a world of frigid cemeteries, stately mansions, and corridors echoing with untold horrors. The music is drenched in Edgar Allan Poe-esque melancholy, with orchestral arrangements that feel both regal and ruinous. It’s Victorian chic meets sonic violence.

This debut album ‘The State of Love and War’ has stirred up some intense reactions in the metal community: blending indeed Black Metal, Death Metal and symphonic goth elements into a maelstrom of musical frenzy, often evoking comparisons to bands like Emperor, Cradle Of Filth, Norwegian Gehenna and Dimmu Borgir.

Despite their Polish name (which translates to ‘play it fucking loud’), Napierdalać sounds unmistakably British. Their music channels the spirit of the UK’s second wave of Black Metal from the 1990s, but with a modern, refined edge. There’s no indulgent excess—just pure, focused aggression and atmosphere.

The band doesn’t shy away from experimenting either. As can be heard on ‘Sonnet 41’ and the title track. It’s here where the goth influences pierce through.

The raspy vocals of Bill Fenwick are spewed forth with malevolence and will grate the varnish of our furniture. Production wise, crisp, clear, and balanced. The symphonic elements are audible without overwhelming the core brutality. Without too many bells and whistles or freakish musician frills. Craftmanship on this album is impeccable. The band rehearsed this material well before entering the studio and deliver genuine solid pieces of music. The music on itself brings you back to the second wave of Black Metal from the roaring 1990-ies. And for some reason this album pleases me more than the above mentioned bands from the old era.

If ever an album felt like it clawed its way out of a haunted Victorian manor, ‘The State of Love and War’ by Manchester’s Napierdalać is it. This debut is a masterclass in extreme symphonic Black/Death Metal, steeped in gothic grandeur and poetic decay.

Napierdalać’s debut is not just promising—it’s commanding. They’ve delivered a record that rivals the classics while carving out their own haunted niche. Fans of symphonic black/Death Metal should dive in now, and have a real good listen before this band becomes too big for the underground.