Thaw – Thaw (2013)

Arriving today from Avantgarde Music we have Thaw and their self-titled debut full-length release. Jumping on the current wave of Experimental Black Metal, this Polish band does a pretty good job in delivering seven tracks of weird-but-brutal Black Metal. Combining trippy atmospheric passages with some Noise/Drone elements, the band greatly complements their relentless Black Metal with some nice flair.

After the Noise/Drone intro “The Gate”, this release starts picking up with the crushing “Ancestors”. We particularly love the mixture of relentless BM with the creepy clean vocals. The band’s BM foundations are quite strong and deliver waves of powerful riffs and brutal drumming. The same could be said about “Divine Light”, another fine example of the band’s sheer power combined with some cool atmospheric passages.

“Kiara” is a track when the band goes completely out of whack and only delivers eerie spacey atmospheric elements in a very mysterious and almost improvisational manner. Getting back on track with “On The World’s Grave” and “Hunted Pray”, we are reminded of killer bands like Nidingr with some elements of Way To End.

The razor sharp riffs of “Under The Slag Heap” give it a Post-Metal feeling similar to Neurosis and other acts that combine Sludge with some experimental elements. While not bad at all, this release is missing some cohesion. It flows a bit awkwardly and the band’s sound feels a bit all over the place. We are sure that Thaw will only get better with time, so be confident about checking out this very entertaining release.

Label: Avantgarde Music

Release: 2013

Genre: Experimental Black Metal

Country: Poland