ZØRZA – Twilight of the Golden Star

RELEASE YEAR: 2026
BAND URL: https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/twilight-of-the-golden-star

Polish post-black metal executed with precision and discipline is what is on the agenda for today, and few bands pull that off better than Zørza do. Somewhat comparable to MGLA and Kriegsmaschine in terms of riffs and sonic punch yet more despairing and agony-filled with respect to atmosphere, Zørza weave together a most interesting tapestry of thick, brooding soundscapes that invite the listener to take part and embark on the same journey to the howling abyss. Assured, emotionally unhinged, tight as a musical unit, and with more than enough darkness to keep things fascinating, the band basically play to their strengths here and deliver a set of raging yet musically varied laments that perfectly mirror the desperate times we live in. Only the opening track, more specifically the title track, fails to generate much excitement or maintain its momentum throughout, but things are properly gelling by the time “My Wound” rolls around the corner and until the record reaches its despairing denouement.

Gloriously cheerless and exhilarating compositions such as “Death III,” “Against Theocracy,” “Stormspell,” and the eerie albeit strangely beautiful “Zorza III” hammer home the fact that Twilight of the Golden Star may not be the most original black metal output we have heard this year but that it is nevertheless infinitely more seductive and irresistible than most other releases belonging to the same genre and category. Pitch-black excellence!