Orenda – The Funeral

Due to the abundance of convenience holidays sceaming out at me from just about everywhere, I almost assumed Bulgaria was a huge fuck-off seaside resort. Seems I was barking up the wrong tree, though, as Orenda are an old school Black Metal band with roots entrenched in the deep dark forests of their motherland. Maybe I’ll avail of one of those package deals in the future and hike inland in search of inspiration.

At 34 minutes approximately, ‘The Funeral’ straddles the divide between a full-length and mini album but is treated as the former by No Colours Records. And who am I to argue with a label of such repute? The four tracks are anything but short, each taking the listener on a wondrous excursion into classic, mournful Black Metal territory. Mid-paced and harrowing, epic and melancholic, Orenda’s second official release is an impressive piece of underground art.

Agan, Vampiriac and Pericles refuse to be hampered by the limitations of their chosen subgenre, producing music that is rich, lush and verdant but at the same time loaded with a sense of dejection. This is more accessible than a lot of harsh and raw Black Metal yet it retains a keen sense of integrity. Get thee some true Bulgarian culture today or fucketh offeth.