ZMARŁYM – Ziemie Ja​ł​owe

Godz ov War Productions have an uncanny talent for unearthing some of the best and most interesting black/death/speed/thrash metal acts and albums the underground has to offer, and this five-song collection by the darkly engrossing Polish band known as Zmarłym fits into the label’s impressive roster rather splendidly.

Exploding right out of the gate and launching into the opening track named ‘Gdzie mieszkasz?’, which is a brilliant 6-minute blast of pulverizing black metal with a sharp and modern edge to it (not to mention undertones of death metal), there is plenty to like about this hyper-aggressive yet perfectly varied album, and although it employs dissonant riffs and several parts that are uneasy on the ear I actually found it remarkably memorable even after the first spin. The vocals are brutal and spew forth spite and contempt, and there is a pervading sense of misanthropy everywhere you turn here. Raging and hostile, relentlessly bleak and unnerving, the disc is a solid piece of work and one that is filled with excellent ideas and decidedly jet-black vibes, which is just how we like our cruel and harsh black metal, right? Proof positive that the Polish scene harbors some superb bands that offer gripping tunes for twisted souls. Intense, well-produced, and oftentimes compelling.