PYRA – Pyra

I was ridiculously excited about receiving and reviewing this suffocatingly dark and utterly bleak debut EP by the recently conceived black/death metal outfit from Italy named Pyra. The early press releases sounded most promising and enticing, but did the actual musical entity live up to my expectations and where exactly do we stand with this one?

In terms of its claustrophobic atmosphere and uniquely sinister musical qualities, Pyra immediately feels like a listening experience that is something out of the ordinary. Pitch-black riffs that spell doom and despair, putrid and ghastly vocals from the caverns that are as chilling as they are unearthly, a strangely hypnotic and even borderline meditative aura that swallows you whole, and nothing less than five magnificently menacing compositions that merge dissonance and catchiness in such convincing and impressive manner that it is impossible not to be swept off one’s feet by this blackened gem. The sound is raw and unrefined and in the best way possible, and it envelops the tracks in a thick and dense cloak of loathsome darkness. The combination of black metal and death metal is spectacular here, and this is s stately example of how to merge the two curses to great effect. The only thing that gets on my tits in a few instances is the drum sound, but let me stress the fact that those occurrences are rare.

In summing up, this vile little beast is as efficient, well-composed, and essential as they come, and every black/death metal die-hard out there seriously ought to invest their time in the EP and immerse themselves fully in its content. Visually, the CD release looks killer too and the artwork and layout very much embody the tone and feel of the song material. This all bodes well for Pyra’s future.