Sometimes I like my black metal delivered in epic, rangy long albums like say Kjeld’s latest offering, Harakiri For the Sky’s vast double album or Utbyrd’s majestic foray. But sometimes I like my black metal in short sharp, icy bursts, like the debut EP, from New Finnish black metal duo Sarvekas, which is a perfect little 23 minute stab of classic melodic black metal from Finland.

5 songs, no filler, no synths (well, just a few bars in “The Sacred Hour of the Hunt”), just cold, tremolo picked goodness with some very, very good moments that hint at a really good full length in the future. I hear some Istapp in the song structures and frosty, vicious melodies as well as the usual Scandinavian second wave suspects.

Standout moments include “Hexenpyre” and “Where No Man Has Trodden” , which has one of the very best melodic black metal riffs I’ve heard recently, and a song I’ll be revisiting very often for months to come. Let’s hope they can continue the momentum of this fine little EP for any future releases.

[Visit the band's website]

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