Stangarigel – Metafyzika Barbarstva [EP]

After a stunning debut album, Stangarigel returns with their latest EP ‘Metafyzika Barbarstva’. Still strongly influenced by the earliest works of Satyricon and Ulver, the band presents us with three new tracks, of which the middle track ‘Jazda Preludov Decembrovým Nebom’ is the musical odd one out. The song serves as an ambient, almost psychedelic and dreamlike connection between the two “conventional” songs. But these ambient elements that appear on ‘Metafyzika Barbarstva’ are not entirely restricted to the atmospheric middle piece of the EP. Opener ‘Modré kryštalické sály’ may quickly be categorized as deeply inspired by Black Metal classics like ‘The Shadowthrone’, but the Folky ambient interlude towards the end separates the harsher sections. This effectively enhances their sharpness with the contrasting soothing break, but also provides a perfect transition into the bombastic ending of the song. The epic title track builds on similar influences, but carries a slightly more distinct ‘Bergtatt’ ambience, not in the least due to the almost medieval acoustic strumming. In a song like this, Stangarigel is only a few horns or traditional instruments away from Pagan acts like Nokturnal Mortum. Everything together ensures that the entire recording carries an atmosphere that can rightfully be described as deeply authentic, which certainly is in part due the way the guitars, percussion, keyboards and reverb-laden vocals sound. But it’s equally contained in the mood of the music, which like other Slovakian bands such as Malokarpatan and Krolok evokes a strong connection to local forests and folklore, something that seems so embedded in the musical DNA of the members of these bands.

That Stangarigel doesn’t simply copy the formula of ‘Na Severe Srdca’ is an admirable sign of growth, and the tasteful addition of more ambient and bewitching elements feels like a natural fit to the music. Furthermore, their authentic sound and clever compositions comes close in quality to some of the classic bands that shaped this style of Black Metal in the 90’s. It certainly makes ‘Metafyzika Barbarstva’, which is now released by the high-quality Medieval Prophecy label, an intriguing appetizer for things to come. Judging by the quality of the debut and now this EP, I’m sure that their future will be bright and nothing short of spectacular.