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STRYVIGOR
Forgotten By Ages

Svarga Music (2014)
Rating: 7.5/10

Ukrainian metallers Stryvigor was formed in 2012 as the brainchild of guitarist Khladogard and vocalist Dusk. The band is named after an old river that runs through the Carpathian Mountains, and with this debut work the band has tried to recreate those icy atmospheres.

Just one glance at the cover and a quick step into the introduction ‘In The Icy Embrace Of North’, and I’m at one with nature; perched on a snow-capped hillside, I can hear the nocturnal bird-life squawk and the hidden wolves howl into the night.

As a shudder runs down my spine I prepare myself for the ensuing strains of ‘Mysteries Of Darkness’, and can safely say that this is rapid-fire black metal that evokes images of bewildering blizzards, frost-laced river banks, babbling brooks and stark, black trees. Delivered with cosmic sincerity through a barrage of well-orchestrated synths, pristine white blasts of percussion, rugged vocal rasps and chilly gasps, this is melancholic black metal as it should be.

Bracing the freezing wind and under the golden hue of a fat wintry moon, Forgotten By Ages is constructed of both pace and eerie atmosphere. And deep within the ravines cut deep by the brisk guitar work there is that stream of melody, which runs deep within those frosted valleys. The band finds a happy medium between those grating rhythms and slower tempo passages. This is extremely accessible black metal, a soundtrack of European pride, folklore and hope.

As the drums of ‘Wherever The Stars…’ rattle and cause those icicles to cascade from the cavernous ceiling, I’m reminded that in the modern age there is still room for this type of cold-hearted black metal, and I’m certainly open to the interjection of synths when they are used correctly. ‘Wherever The Stars…’ is a perfect example of how a faster backbeat sits well with a melodic riff and equally harmonious synth injection. Vocally, the style is instant too and rarely grates as Dusk provides an earthy, gritty sneer that is decipherable within the mists of the epic structures.

‘Wings Of Sorrow’ continues that grandiose theme, and incorporates some subtle touches with the tip-toe keyboard effects. ‘Memory Of Ages’ opts for a harsher approach and is channelled through a more vigorous drum and guitar workout, while ‘By Paths Of Universe’ has a primal edge and cuts deep with that sturdy drum clatter and distant riff gleam. Stryvigor manage to keep the listener enthralled throughout, right through the heart of the mid-tempo slog of ‘To Heroes’ and the closing title track which stands as a two-minute mystical instrumental.

Forgotten By Ages is an effective debut composition that will have you dreaming of winter even through those sweltering months of summer.

Neil Arnold

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