Groza - Nadir (2024)

Unleashing waves of highly melancholic Black Metal, today we have Germany’s Groza and their latest opus “Nadir”. With a vibe similar to Ellende, Heretoir, and Harakiri for the Sky, this outfit explores the depths of darkness with fierce aggression and technical proficiency in six tracks that span over 42 minutes of excellent music. This emotionally charged release is a rollercoaster of unadulterated raw power that is rare to find these days.

As “Asbest” transitions a dreamy opening into darkness, the band quickly unravels waves of piercing guitars, perfectly reigned in with crafty drumming and a throbbing bass guitar line. The band’s sound brilliantly balances aggression with melody, and thanks to well executed tempo changes, tracks like “Dysthymian Dreams” and “Equal. Silent. Cold.” deliver crushing cathartic moments. We particularly enjoy how melodic passages turn aggressive in the blink of an eye.

With all tracks over six minutes, the band masterfully develops each one, creating dense and very atmospheric moments with a very compact musical core, a prime example of this has to be our favorite “Deluge”. Featuring J.J and M.S from Harakiri for the Skye, “Daffodils” is a brilliant closing track filled with lush atmospherics and a dramatic nature. Overall, “Nadir” is an excellent release that greatly contributes to the modern Black Metal scene created by bands like Ellende, Mgła, Agyrpnie, and similar outfits that focus on elegant power versus primitive rawness.

Label: AOP Records

Release: September 20th, 2024

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Germany