This is Ravnkald’s sixth album, and since the word “Pagan” often appears in their release titles, I’d bet money there’s a connection. And sure enough, that’s the case since they play Black Metal with Pagan influences on ‘The Pagan Resistance’, though not in the way the Polish scene used to do it.
There’s plenty of variation in the vocals, melodies, and musical direction, even though it mostly stays at a mid-tempo pace. However, there’s a danger that the music doesn’t really push through or grab the listener. This is partly because the sound is a bit too safe, without any sharp edges, and the clean vocals don’t really stick. The start of ‘Her Heart Is a Grave’, doesn’t help much either.
Personally, I’d focus on the up-tempo Black Metal parts and adjust the sound for the next album.
