Croatian black metal isn't a scene I follow closely, but this band caught my ear when I was hunting for new music to check out. Prognan play epic, melodic black metal laden with orchestration, choirs, and a big, bombastic sound. According to the metal archives, Danak u krvi is listed as an EP, even at 87 minutes, so I doubt that's accurate. Either way, it was released independently this year, with main man Kob handling all instrumentation except drums.

My first impression was that this release felt messy and all over the place, but it has grown on me a little. The compositions are mostly strong, and I like how they've woven Eastern European folk influences into the songwriting. The orchestrations are generally elaborate, the melodies are often captivating, and the harsh vocals have a sneering edge that cuts through. I see this band being compared to stuff like Kanonenfieber, which fits at times ("Derviš i Smrt"), but I'm more reminded of Equilibrium, Wintersun, or even Wilderun, largely due to the layered, symphonic approach.

My main gripe in addition to some lingering messiness is the production. The guitars sit too low in the mix, often drowned out by the dominating harsh vocals and symphonics, both of which take up too much space. Neither element is bad, but there are great riffs and melodies here that deserve to spend some more time in the spotlight.

That said, while not flawless, Danak u krvi is a solid slab of symphonic, melodic, and slightly pagan-tinged black metal with a distinctive Eastern European flair that helps it stand out.