I can’t imagine what people living in ancient times would think about modern technology, especially social media that has done an incredible job destroying the cultural fabric in so many places. At that time they only had stories, rituals, and the stars, not phones glued to their hands. They were not yet corrupted by supposed interconnectedness.
Polish extreme metal power Shine harken back to those times on their punishing debut record “Wrathcult,” an album inspired by pre-Christian religions as well as Slavic folklore, putting a light on a time that seems forever buried in the past. These 10 tracks find the band—vocalist Marek Krajcer, guitarists Tomasz Dobrzeniecki (formerly of Hazael) and Mateusz Waśkiewicz, bassist Wojciech Gąsiorowski, drummer Paweł Duda—mixing shades of death and black metal into something frostily atmospheric and reflective even as you’re being taken apart by their buzzsaw sound.
“Ancient Chaos” slips in, an eerie instrumental piece that has brushed acoustics and strange sounds mixing into “The Lamb Against the Wolf” that opens with warbled words and a blistering attack. Howls snarl as the guitars catch fire, the pressure getting tougher to manage as it pulls you under the insanity. Infernal heat gusts as the speed spreads, the final moments thrashing away. “Kneel Before the Serpent” rips in, spiraling and melting, a complete slaughter that quickly takes hold. Howls smash as the guitars ramp up the intensity, crushing along the way, the wails of the title feeling like nails spat at your chest. “Oddajcie co moje” has a bit of a different feel, more melodic with a punk edge, guitars tingling while the vocals grasp throats. Bass chugs as the playing flows, a bit of rawness thrown in for good measure, ashen singing wafting to the end. “The Cult of Oak” massacres, growls lashing, killing as the heat rises to almost impossible levels. The bass loops as a dizzying pace causes confusion, growls thicken, and the pace slashes anew, delivering a delirious end.
“The Horror of the Night” is jarring, growls curdling, guitars racing and shaking brains in skulls. Weird “ooh-ah!” chants feel mystical as deep singing lurches, darkening as sounds boil over and thicken, the playing driving blood through veins. “Witch’s Prophecies” opens with guitars steaming, ferocious howls blowing you back, and the playing stabbing seemingly at will. The pace surges as speaking makes chills stripe your back, melodies leaning into mounds of soot, ending with heavy breathing. “Wrath of the Hammer” stabs, growls blasting, the force melting faces as things turn into a sprawl. Blinding leads and a manic tempo unite as demonic bursts add to the horrors, churning into oblivion. “The Necklace With Runes” has the bass coiling, singing going lower register, almost feeling gothy before the furnace force amplifies madness. Spoken calls feel like incantations, the playing ramping up as the bass slinks into ominous fog. Closer “Ancient Spirit” is a book-end instrumental piece that twists brains, guitars poking through thick, greenish synth clouds, and sounds drifting into an endless void.
“Wrathcult” is an interesting record, one that certainly feeds with ample amounts of death and black metal but also leaves room for introspection and unexpected twists and turns. The concentration on ancient knowledge and theologies certainly paints this Shine debut with a different palette from which most of us are accustomed. It also make take a few visits to fully reveal itself, but it’s a trip worth pursuing as you peel back each layer.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/shine.wrathcult/
To buy the album, go here: https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/?s=shine&post_type=product
For more on the label, go here: https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/
Meat Mead Metal 