• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

An international duo I had previously been unaware of, Darvaza are a Black Metal band formed by two individuals with extensive experience under their belts. Vocalist Wraath has been a member of at least six bands, perhaps most notably in Behexen as a guitarist. Multi-instrumentalist Omega has even more bands with which he is associated, including acts such as Blut aus Nord and Chaos Invocation. Formed in 2015, 2022’s Ascending Into Perdition is their first full-length album, following three EPs released since the year of their forming.

This is a no-frills Black Metal attack. The vocals of Wraath are a bit more on the deep and growly side than the screeching, high-pitched vocals some vocalists go for in the subgenre. The instrumental work is largely non-melodic and aggressive, while not by any means a whirlwind of chaotic riffs. In a way, one may call this a bit plain, but at the same time, it has its charm. The guitar tones are notably more muscular than a lot of modern Black Metal, something which resonated well with me. There is a bit of reverb on the vocals, enough that if you listen carefully, you will hear the end of each of Wraath’s vocal lines echo a bit. It is just enough to be interesting without being too much.

While there are moments in which the songs run the risk of being a bit too long for their own good, there are some great standout moments and tracks here. For example, on track 2, "The Spear and the Tumult," the band plays into a cool half-time groove in the second half of the song in a segment where the guitar harmonies develop for the first time on the album. The lead guitar action here is the boldest moment yet, and the vocals seem fortified by this newfound energy. The drumming on this album really complements all of the best features of this album, especially because this is a drummer who knows exactly when to switch gears for the best result. On track 4, "This Hungry Triumphant Darkness," listeners are greeted with a series of riffs that possess a different quality, one of anxiousness and urgency. These riffs escalate in what seems like a musical representation of lava bubbling from deep within a volcano and rapidly rising to the top. The escalating riffs here culminate in a cool, syncopated riff, which grants much diversity in soundscapes. Track 5, "The Second Woe," really feels like the crux of the album, reaching epic values. There is a moment in the middle where everything drops out and the listener is teased by what sounds much like Gregorian Chant singing in an echoey chamber before a lone tremolo breaks the atmosphere. What follows next is the most, dare I say, beautiful moment of the album. The melodic lead riff that repeats for a while ascends with a gorgeous Major chord harmony, as if for a moment ascending to the heavens, but only to descend in its answering riff component in a twistingly dark and chromatic fashion, as if descending back into the depths. This is easily my favorite payoff moment of the album. The final track of the album, "Silence in Heaven," also contains a break in song to a solo tremolo riff, but this time it goes into a much darker and appropriate conclusion segment.

On a side note, the final track also has one more feature that I wanted to point out. It starts with a very nice recording of the ending of Scriabin’s Symphony #2 in C Minor, 2nd movement. I found this a peculiar inclusion because although the orchestral piece is incredible and the performance recording chosen here is excellent, it is a very nontraditional symphony and is not well known to even some of the busiest of orchestral musicians, such as myself. Being the unique choice of orchestral excerpt to be sampled that it is, one might wonder what the motive was behind choosing this particular piece.

I have listened to this album more than ten times through. While there may not be much innovation to be found here, it has undeniable charm within the delivery, and it keeps me coming back for more. Ascending Into Perdition is a very solid debut album from this supergroup duo and will certainly resonate with fans of old school second wave of Black Metal.