День гнева

День гнева was released in 1988, just a few years prior to the fall of the Soviet Union. Perhaps as a consequence of the Gorbachev administration’s glasnost policies, the album seems more openly political than other Soviet metal releases I’ve come across, even including some verses by the exiled Russian poet Osip Mandelstam—who died in a labor camp under Stalin’s regime—as the lyric for the song Мы живём, под собою не чуя страны. At the same time, this is a band clearly steeped in European classicism, with much of the guitar work inspired by or directly borrowing from Western classical composers. Yet rather than merely reveling in nostalgia, as so many neoclassical efforts do, the band makes use of this classical material in a manner that often feels poignant and contemporary. At a transformative moment in metal and world history, Магнит manages to pull off an intriguing balance of heavy metal aggression and classical dramaturgy that works to great effect.

День гнева comes out strong with Работай—the overall best track of the album in my opinion, and certainly the best showcase of the areas in which this band really excels. The style on display here is high-tempo, energetic speed/power metal, with constant double bass, excellent melodic lead guitars, and aggressive vocals. This is followed by another highlight, Мы живём, под собою не чуя страны: a slower, doomier, and more theatrical cut. It doesn’t deliver as strong a punch as the opening track but does manage to create a compellingly disquieting ambience. Atmospheric synths give the track its unique, dystopian vibe, and shrieky, quasi-operatic vocals near the end of the song add a ghoulish quality.

The instrumental Ария на тему Марчелло is another highlight. It starts off a bit weak, with a guitar that is oversaturated in reverb and shredding that is a little sloppy by today’s standards. However, the “Aria” portion of the track, based on a piece by Benedetto Giacomo Marcello, is arranged with ethereal synths accompanying melodic lead guitar lines, and the combined effect produces a dark and stately mood reminiscent of Wendy Carlos’s music for A Clockwork Orange.

The biggest overall negative regarding this album is the production, which is clear but underpowered. The guitar, the bass, and especially the drums in certain sections, feel quite weak. It isn’t too surprising that a studio in the Soviet Union wouldn’t be very well equipped or experienced when it comes to recording heavy metal, assuming that’s the reason it turned out this way.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and a hidden gem for anyone who likes fast, melodic metal. The band is at their best when playing at high speeds and flashing their classical chops, but the slower, darker, and weirder moments, along with the samples of Soviet music and verse that appear on the record, add a sense of purpose and depth. It isn’t a perfectly executed vision, but it possesses enough flourishes of brilliance to merit inclusion in any power/heavy metal fan’s collection.