Пожару нового дня

I've covered Blazebirth Hall a few years back by checking out the discographies of Branikald and Forest, both of which had plenty of amazing releases within the atmospheric black metal scene. In the case of Forest, the band would momentarily change its name to Vargleide and go in a different direction musically. For the review challenge, I'll be checking out the second and final album under the moniker titled "Пожару нового дня".

The last album of Vargleide was known for being raw and harsh compared to the previous Forest albums. Here, it looks as though it'll be returning to the atmospheric direction from the first track "Под чёрным солнцем", another one of those acoustic instrumentals from BBH largely carried by the grand, immersive atmosphere. In the next track "В буре стремления", we are given a taste of the metal parts, which are still as harsh as ever. The guitars play more of those harsh and brutal riffs from the previous album, but they still carry the euphoric signature atmosphere from BBH, giving the harsh sound a more softer tone. The drumming remains primitive, maintaining a repetitive beat pattern that remains consistent with little to no variation. The bass, of course, is practically buried in the mix, but the few bass heard does do a decent job at laying a foundation for the tracks. While the songwriting in the riffs is still just as harsh, it does lean towards the more atmospheric sounds from the old Forest albums that still make them sound like a journey rather than the more intense sound from the last album. My personal favorite highlights here include "Хайль Рагнарёк!", "В потоке озаренья чувств", and "Из трещин прошлого" with how they perfectly balance the harsh, hard-hitting riffs with the more slower and eternal moments that perfectly capture an image of a fierce apocalypse. While the instrumentals still sound brutal sound-wise, the tone is noticeably more atmospheric and even melodic at times, which gives it more of that old Forest sound.

The vocals, on the other hand, are the usual. Those who are more experienced with BBH are more than familiar with Kaldrad's usual screams and chants, and this record doesn't necessarily change the game for the vocals. With that said, though, they are still fitting with the tone of the music. This is particularly the case in the track "На аса зов" with its harsh and devastating riffs. The haunting chants and echoes of Kaldrad further emphasize the anxiety and hate in the atmosphere, and the screams also enforce the severity of the chaos. I guess I prefer the vocal style in the last Vargleide album a bit more with how it flowed more well with the harsher moments, but otherwise, the vocals here are pretty good.

Even though "Пожару нового дня" still has its harsh and destructive moments, it also utilizes some of the more atmospheric and melodic style from the old Forest albums to not only make the harshness more bearable, but also works as an excellent mix between the old records and newer, harsh style presented. While it's not really my all-time favorite BBH record, it is still and interesting release I'd recommend checking out for those looking to check out the harsher side of BBH.