Auka seniems dievams

If I’m right, for some reason viking and pagan black metal is very popular in the Baltic area. However Lithuania is perhaps the least enthusiastic in “producing bands”, Obtest is a really good surprise to me. This is an elite Viking (if you like better pagan) black metal band!
The production is raw (compared to what is popular in this genre) but clear, and just perfect to the music. The album begins with some melodic acoustic part, and you know in the moment that nothing bad could come! What comes are 10 pieces of fine fast, melodic pagan black metal! All tracks are strong, and there are many clear vocals too. The melodies are not very catchy but until hearing them, very pleasant (and this music doesn’t have to be as catchy as melodeath in my opinion). Though not very original, Obtest is not very similar to any famous band, they have their own style. The lyrics are in Lithuanian (that is very good, because the singing is quite understandable and this language definitely fits the music), and I suppose they are about war (the cover is an argument for this; it presents four drawn warriors - by the way also fine!)
Obtest is a very good band. Their music is not original, but a perfect “music of war”. And, why I especially like it: real war metal; rawer and faster than most of bands in this genre, in the same time melodic. These components create a very cool “mighty” atmosphere! My favourit tracks are the first (Iš Širdies...) and the last (Vardan…) one - though the remains are all equally good. I recommend it for all fans of fast Viking black metal!