Having formed in 2024, Savaging recently released their debut release, a full-length titled ‘Vignettes of Cruelty and Callousness’. Despite that I somehow expected Death Metal after reading the band name, the music of Savaging could be described as mostly pumping and up-tempo, rather hypnotizing Black Metal with subtle haunting keys and howling vocals.
There is a slight sorrowful atmosphere lingering through the material, whether it’s from the dyanmic vocals and the keyboard elements in a song like ‘To Taint Familiar Wounds’, or the more subcutaneous Sargeist-like riffs of ‘Mother, You Rot in Death as We Do in Life’. The subsequent ‘Fornication Amid the Stench of Sin’ has a similar Horna vibe to it, with the meandering melody and embedded melancholy driving the track forward. While the vocals being driven to extended maniacal resonance works well most of the time, the incorporation of Urfaust-like clean chants that duel with the more guttural shrieks is something that for me could have been left out. But hey, that’s a matter of preference. I guess a bigger drawback of ‘Vignettes of Cruelty and Callousness’ for me is the production. While the keyboards are placed well and the touch of reverb on the vocals adds to the haunting atmosphere, the guitars could do with a tad more rawness in my opinion. But it’s mostly the loud placement and mechanic sound of the drums that can be a bit distracting.
Despite the flaws highlighted above, ‘Vignettes of Cruelty and Callousness’ has plenty to enjoy. For the most part, the music of the band shines when the riffs are submissive and the keyboards play a bigger role. For instance, in aforementioned ‘To Taint Familiar Wounds’, but also in a track ‘Casuistry and the Kiss of Rawhide’ it adds a chill to the music that fits perfectly with the rather minimal approach and spirited vocals. While the keyboards aren’t nearly as abundant, the excellent humming undertone of ‘Seditionary’ and modest riffs are a great pairing. The slower ‘Nebreda: Catharmos in Ordure’ has a great atmosphere that reminds me of ‘A Dead Rose for A Dying World’ off the latest Satanic Warmaster record ‘Exultation of Cruelty’, and luckily the flirt with clean vocals remains restricted to a bare minimum. So overall, my impressions of this Savaging debut are positive. If you’re into hypnotizing Black Metal with subtle riffs and keyboards and howling and slightly throaty vocals, be sure to give ‘Vignettes of Cruelty and Callousness’ a chance.
