Enigmática Perpétua Sinfonia

Formed in 2006, this horde from Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil really took flight in 2017, the current line-up coming together in that year and issuing first album "Praeludium Tenebras". Follow-up album "Enigmatica Perpetua Sinfonia" came out in 2020, an indication that Ar da Desgraca really mean business now, all members of the band committed to AdD's brand of no-nonsense aggressive melodic BM that may be inspired by 1990s-era second-wave Scandinavian acts. AdD's style is sharp and clear (with enough noisy fuzz edge for the raw texture), minimal and efficient - it reminds me of Finnish BM act Vitsaus when I first heard that band's work back in 2008 (wow, so long ago) - and emphasises riffing, distinct melodies and energetic aggression in the seven self-contained songs on "Enigmatica ...". The singing might be in Portuguese but otherwise much of AdD's music is hard to distinguish from the band's northern European inspirations.

All songs can actually stand on their own as potential singles material with strong, even pop-catchy folk-like melodies and swanky rhythms, and if the band were ambitious enough, this album would easily find a home with a major metal label specialising in black, death and other underground metal like Profound Lore or Season of Mist. On some songs like "Ruína e Decadência", the band almost slips into atmospheric post-BM territory with extended solo lead guitar detours; with other tracks like "Êxtase Delirante", the musicians concentrate on blast-beat pounding aggression, though even here there is a distinct melody and a definite melancholy coming out of the music.

The only issue I have with this album is that as singing is important here, the vocals are very raspy thin and are almost drowned out by the music which isn't especially dense or heavy. For the vocals to express anger or anguish or any other emotion, they'll need to come forward much more in the mix.

At this early stage in the band's career, "Enigmatica ..." does well to establish the band's core identity as a solid melodic BM act in the style of 1990s second-wave BM. Future albums will need a more distinct style of music that differentiates the band from other BM projects similarly inspired by that same generation. The instrumental introductory track suggests that music based around acoustic folk guitar as a major instrument may help AdD establish a more original and individual identity on future recordings.

Thanks to YouTube and the world wide web it has never been easier to discover promising acts from the other side of the globe whose name I would have probably never heard otherwise. Ar Da Desgraca are one such example. These lads are hailing from Brazil, and they play a pretty traditional form of black metal. In fact their sound reminds me more of some Scandinavian greats than what I have heard from South-American bands so far. Their music comes with a lot of punch and a very grim atmosphere, making the hearts of purists sing. I am not familiar with their full length debut “Praeludium Tenebras” so I cannot really talk about the evolution of the band, but based on album number two “Enigmática Perpétua Sinfonia” these guys know their business.

While not really bringing anything brand-new to the table Ar Da Desgraca have delivered seven sinuous and scintillating tracks of classic (mainly second wave) sound and fury, heavy in both atmosphere and melody, which should satisfy most fans of the genre, old and new. With so many releases having been put out over the time span of more than thirty years it requires a ferocious yet carefully measured delivery that captures the excellent qualities of the genre to not go by completely unnoticed. As far as my personal opinion goes Ar Da Desgraca have put their focus on the right attributes, and while playing it quite safe here the outcome is a really satisfying listen.

The music just comes together so well from beginning to end, which speaks volumes about the band's compositional talent. This isn't just a series of riffs and blasting parts tossed together into an album, everything is in its right place, and the overall flow of the record is really smooth. The guitars range from fiery bursts of first wave influenced power chords, to high-speed tremolo runs and more obscure patterns. The drums follow suit with bursts of blasting freneticism, sometimes followed by slower paced, clunky rhythms, making up for a mix that does not get boring over its 40 minutes playing time. The songwriting might come across a bit simplistic on the surface, but consecutive spins will bring some clever details to light. One highlight for sure is the nine minutes long epos “Ruína e Decadência”, offering some fantastic and moody passages.

With the songwriting being spot on, not too one dimensional but not too cumbersome either, this release is just a feast for fans of pure and true black metal fun. The production is great, with a lot of grit and dirt, but not too muddy, offering enough dynamism. It feels like someone found an old tape of the late eighties or early nineties and decided to make a re-recording, using the basics, but carefully improve on the sound quality. The lyrics are in Portuguese (I guess?), adding to the obscure character of the music. The vocals are absolutely fierce and sinister, perfectly fitting to the instrumentation. Overall “Enigmática Perpétua Sinfonia” is just a fantastic slab of passionate and powerful music, and fans of this style cannot go wrong here. One of my sleeper hits 2020 when it comes to straight forward black metal.