Sidus Atrum. The band that astonished the hell out of us back in 2022 when Spiral of Life suddenly hit our review pipe. The RMR crew was smitten right away by the elegant arrangement and pretty neat songwriting on offer. And, the piece made it onto the 2022 Top 10 Records. Deservedly so.
Meanwhile, a full-fledged shooting war ensued between Russia and the band’s home country Ukraine. And it’s, by the time of writing this review, still raging full-throttle. Sidus Atrum‘s 3rd full-length record Розірване Небо (Torn Sky) understandably instrumentalizes that war and the tribulation that goes with it. A first-hand report, if you will, expressed through any and all metallic means. Head to the shelter before hitting play.
Unsurprisingly, the somewhat playfully constructed brand of Extreme Metal of Spiral of Life is seriously out the door. Instead, a rough-hewn, darker, gloomier, and much more aggressive Black Metal style has taken ahold of this band. Mind you, you’ll still find ample instances of ambient and Post Black and weird clear voice wailing and ominous whispers. But the aggression and – indeed – the desperation throughout Розірване Небо is palpable – and very well integrated into the overall production. There’s a ferocious belligerence in the tune this time, a strange mix of combativeness and desperate melancholy. And that renders the Atmospheric Black and Blackened Death Metal on offer truly astonishing. To counter the seething fury somewhat, the band packed a ton of melodic and ambient passages into the mix. And this turns a dime-a-dozen Extreme Metal piece into an eerie piece of alloy with almost mystical qualities.
And in all that misery and woe, Yulia Lykhotvor runs up to full form. This time, the performance moves beyond the kinda funky delivery on Spiral of Life. I always find it fascinating. When fantasy stops, reality sets in, and true emotion emerges. And this sentiment immediately percolates to the surface through an uptick in artistic performance. And that’s what we see here. Furthermore, the former sidekick Serhii Lykhotvor now morphed into a full band member in charge of guitars and – apparently – arrangement.
Розірване Небо (Torn Sky) – the title track – immediately sets the record straight. The ominous sounds of war at the beginning will disperse any doubt about where this is heading. With its weird Post Black interludes and haunting wails, the powerful Black Metal attack probably nails this coffin shut quickly. The track is typical Sidus Atrum with its trademark eclectic and – indeed – pig-headed song structures. Yet, it is also the first sign of a somewhat rough-hewn production that left quite a few sharp corners untreated. And that slammed somewhat of a damper on the enthusiasm for this new record over at the RMR Review Desk.
The ominous mid-tempo groove on Коли Земля Кричала (When The Earth Was Screaming) truly impressed us. It’s a well-integrated example of Blackened Death and Black Metal proper. Now, interestingly, the lyrics for one of the best tracks on Torn Sky – Сталеві Янголи (Angels Of Steel) – were composed by Sandra Konopatska. The RMR crew here mainly remembers her for her cooperation with Delfinia and her stints with the saxophone for some acts. Now, doom is an important component of the fare on offer. If you’re looking for moar tears and woe, Гірше За Ката (Worse Than The Torturer) – arguably – might serve best.
Finally and despite its shortcomings, Розірване Небо turned into a very good Extreme Metal record. Although, Sidum Atrum‘s metal is so far out of the proverbial box that many a metal adept will have difficulty embracing it. Case in point, it took us some considerable time and a felt gazillion spins to get into the piece. A medley of metal extremes ranging from Black, over Death, to Post Black metal and sprinkled with weird acoustics. Desperate Atmospheric Black Metal with a serious melancholic twist, if you will. Only, here we’re not heading to space this time, but remain firmly on that blood-soaked piece of land that’s still being harried to this day.
Record Rating: 7/10 | Label: Kvlt und Kaos Productions | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 10 May 2024