Peklo | concreteweb

This band, Peklo, is quite a secretive act – a trio in essence, if I am not mistaken, yet a quartet as performing entity – with two former independently released albums earlier this decade (Infernoctis, 2021, and Crowned By Plagues, 2022). Yet I do not feel to focus on the(ir) past, yet rather going onto / into their latest effort, i.e. Supostat, a five-tracker that clocks almost forty minutes.

Like many efforts done via (nowadays Georgia-based) Satanath Records, this one too is a collaborative releasing work; this time in cooperation with Chilean label Australis Records (this specific album being one of a handful of mutual releases in a short period; expect some more reviews soon for acts like Monastery Dead, Srefa or Darkflight) and El Salvador based Nebula Forest Productions.

Supostat strongly continues the core business of both former albums, even-though this effort might sound even more intense and technical. Like both former releases, this one offers the audience a vigorous and vehement collection of timeless Black Metal, strongly rooted in the fruitful soil of the glorious Nineties. The five compositions (Serpents Unleashed, No Convergence, Pyres In Heaven, Non Compos Mentis, and Bog) are very fast, technically complex, and still atmospheric in nature. When it comes to the tempo, well, as from the very first moment, i.e. the opening sequence of Serpents Unleashed, the innocent listener will have to endure and resist, against brain-exploding fierceness and intolerant severity. About the whole of the time, these tracks burst and erupt, with chapters that vary from up-tempo over energetic to hyper-speed blasting. The band never exaggerates, for they add a nice amount of tempo-changes the whole of the time. These transitions in tempo are brought with an organic dexterity. Both former full-lengths did incorporate some slower moments; Supostat too comes up with a slower piece: Bog. Yet beware, for it includes a torrefying outburst as well towards the end.

Without becoming progressive or experimental, Peklo inject their material with a high-skilled technical craftsmanship. It contains many levels of melodic and harmonic sculpting, with a diverse package of string- and drum-based variation. The guitar-lines are multifold: epic and harmonious, then again brutal and cutting. There is a diverse execution behind the string-section with a rich sound-palette, yet despite the variation, the essence remains very coherent in approach. About the whole of the time, it reminds me of the fearless and epic implementation of the Nordic ‘school’, with that tinge of combative and victorious elegance. Remarkable as well are the drum patterns: sometimes hammering in a barbaric manner, then again rumbling through darkest dimensions, or simply supporting, fortifying the militant textures.

Not unimportant is to mention the excellent sound-quality? The production is quite vigorous and leaves space for all instruments and voices that are part of this soundtrack. Even-though Supostat is strongly guitar-based, the whole instrumental section is of importance, and through the magnificent mix all elements are clearly audible: drums, rhythm guitars and basses (just take notice of the four-stringed finesse in Bog, for instance!). Also the very few synths fit well: not fading away at a distance, nor overtaking the major role. Within this vein, I need to mention the voices too. The raw, unblended, razor-sharp screams never overrule the instrumental package, yet they all work organically smooth together.

Anyway, the conclusion is quite easy: if you can appreciate the universal greatness of the Second Wave, you will adore this recording with certainty. Peklo do not renew the scene (at all), but their homage to the timelessness of this specific approach is of a very high level. It cannot be easy for the members involves, because they do not live closely together (and seen the current situation in their home-country, you know…), yet somehow they did succeed to deliver a master-piece that trespasses the average standards of the scene easily. Great job!

https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat371-peklo-supostat-2024

https://satanath.com/releases/item/sat371.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFqP4djDjNs

https://pekloband.bandcamp.com/

https://www.australisrecords.com/

https://nebulaforestprod.bandcamp.com/

Ivan Tibos.