CREEDamage, the fifth full-length from Ukranian one-man band Munruthel, is an expansive and over the top symphonic Pagan/Black Metal album. Keyboards, strings, bagpipes, mouth harps and more can be heard, often above the guitars and drums. There are clean and raspy male vocals as well as clean female singing to be heard throughout. CREEDamage is extremely melodic and very well played, but the Black parts don't carry as much weight as I would like. Munruthel does a great job on the cover of Bathory's "The Lake" and "The Eyes of Abyss" truly puts you in the middle of the battlefield. The guitars are in lock-step with the drums and the effect is of warriors marching into the fray. But there are some stretches of quiet, acoustic music that go on too long, robbing the album of much of its punch. I also question the decision to end CREEDamage with three straight instrumentals. "Krada I: The Blood" is so keyboard and double-kick heavy that it is almost Power Metal. "Krada II: The Surya" and "Krada III: The Fire," on the other hand, are epic and atmospheric, but may have worked better interspersed throughout the album vs. lumped together at the end.

If raw Black Metal is what puts the wind in your sails, CREEDamage is going to leave you becalmed. And even for someone like me, who appreciates a lot of melody, the "Metal" is a bit lacking at times. Nevertheless, it is worth a listen for fans of Tverd, Arkona and the like.