Chordewa - Recast Gear for the Mindcraft Course (2014)

Constantly scouring the planet for the best Metal, it is very exciting for us to find hidden gems like Moldavian Progressive/Avant-garde Black Metal outfit Chordewa and their debut full-length release “Recast Gear for the Mindcraft Course”. Featuring a very futuristic theme and sound, the band delivers 36 minutes of brilliant music that reminds us of acts like Arcturus and Vulture Industries.

The album starts with the funky tempo changes of “Psyche in the Shell”, a great intro to the band’s deranged musical brains filled with lush keyboards and intricate drum patterns. The Artcurus worshiping “Mindcraft Course” brilliantly shows even a more aggressive and faster side of the band as this track merges from familiar to fully represent the weirdness of Chordewa’s sound with its Proggy undertones. The playful “The Spiral” is one of our favorite songs thanks to its ritualistic percussions section and how the band swings the direction of the song’s mood very drastically.

Besides the excellent drumming and intoxicating atmospheric keyboards in this release, the band’s versatility lies in the multiple types of vocal styles and solid riffing efforts. Tracks like “Transscope” are just magical and filled with little details that give this release a very high replay value. The dramatic and futuristic “My Abstract Kinetic” is our favorite track in this release thanks to the Vortex-like vocals and its very crafty musical progressions, which are amazingly chaotic and awesome.

After closing with the Borknagar-esque “Agonist”, this band left us wanting a lot more amazing music. The band’s style perfectly blends tons of influences in a very dramatic and cohesive way. While some elements seem to clash at first, after a couple of spins everything aligns properly and the true awesomeness of this release if unlocked. If you are looking for a very promising Progressive/Avant-garde Black Metal band, look no further and pick up a copy of this solid release.

Label: HAARBN productions

Release: August 3rd, 2015

Genre: Progressive/Avant-garde Black Metal

Country: Moldova