Grunwald / Τιτανομαχία

Personally I’m not a big fan of 7’’ singles or splits. I prefer the completeness of a full-length or even an EP. But as with everything, there are the exceptions . This split release initially caught my attention cause of the SCYTHIAN side, since their 2009 amazing “Those Who Stand Against Us” debut full-length was one of its year’s finest offerings. And with “Grunwald” here, they continue their quest, by unleashing their marching, crushing death metal with a definite old-school feeling, magnificent guitar leads and battering drums. This is EPIC in its truest meaning.

On the other side of the vinyl, Greek blackmetallers KAWIR seem to take a different approach in their sound. Their “Titanomaxia” track steps with one foot it the Hellenic blackmetal scene of the early nineties with the melodies of a more classic metal approach (this is especially made clear in the tracks closing minute). With the other foot, they incorporate an uncompromising first-era BATHORY riffing and the outcome proves surprisingly solid. Add native tongue vocals and some fine pagan feeling and suddenly 7’’ splits are essential. Well not really, but on this case we DO have an exception!


Originally written for:

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