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The Oath of the Black Wolf is the second release from Italy’s Orgrel, following a few months shy of the one-year anniversary of their debut album, Red Dragon’s Invocation. It is an EP of melodic black metal that sounds like it might have originated 500+ miles west in Greece. The guitars are sharp and abrasive but also quite melodic and the band eschews tremolo picking, and the vocals are a tortured shout rather than an evil, demonic rasp. Orgrel make good use of sound effects (howling wolves, crows, Gregorian chants) to enhance the gloomy, macabre atmosphere without going overboard and relying too heavily on them (this is an EP, after all). I rate the songwriting as solid and even a little gripping while not doing anything you haven’t heard on recent releases from bands like Synteliea, Acherontas and, of course, Rotting Christ. Fans of melodic black metal, especially of the Greek school, would do well to give The Oath of the Black Wolf a listen.