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Band: Balfor
Album title: Black Serpent Rising
Release date: 15 January 2017
Label: Drakkar Productions
Tracklist:
01. Serpents Of The Black Sun
02. Dawn Of Savage
03. Unbounded Wrath Of Venom
04. Heralds Of The Fall
05. Among The Fallen Ones
06. Wolfbreed
07. A Vulture's Spell
08. Crimson Stronghold
Balfor, an Ukrainian band from Kiev which features current and ex members of bands such as Khors, Raventale and Hate Forest, will release their third album called Black Serpent Rising in January 2017. We are dealing here with a successful band, with only strong albums and some EP's so far, but this one is without any doubt one of their best.
The new album is very heavy and atmospheric, with rich layers of symphonic gloomy synths, plenty of blast beats, a lot of mesmerizing and quite technical guitar leads and to top of everything they also use a nice amount of captivating melodic structures. The vocal style is mostly reminiscent to some symphonic black metal bands, here and there are as well some necessary clean vocals inserted, but also some more brutal death metal styled ones.
The album starts in a very strong manner, the first track is one of my favorites. "Serpents Of The Black Sun" begins with a basic strike, but in a few seconds begins a journey that leads to another realm, a realm of dark mists where the barbaric warriors hide. The vocalist, George Lazurenko, in this track with his guttural voice, give the tone to the magic tale in the lyrics, invocations to the Serpent god, summoning the strength. It's a beautiful hymn without getting lost in the romantic void. Yet, not only this track but the others also, some more, some less, have some kind of a melancholic rage implemented inside. You will be touched in the bottom of your soul, I guarantee.
The whole album is about barbaric legends reached with symbols of "The Fallen". In the era of these tribes, pretty much all cultures were based in ancient legends that get tacked in particular forms yet with the same meaning behind, the dawn of humanity, their basic survival instincts, and their fantastic interpretations of unfamiliar phenomena.
The tracks have a perfect sequence. We hardly notice the change of tracks. Gradually the instruments change in a harmonious way. The sentiment expressed by the guitar is awesome! The solos are perfect, we can't distinguish the man from his instrument, they are one. Bass is just like a punch in your stomach and all instruments together make out of tracks like "Unbounded Wrath Of Venom" amazingly epic metal songs. Then the track "A Vulture's Spell" is a strong and fast one, nice but like in a glimpse and in the sequence we are surrounded by the track "Crimson Stronghold", another epic bloody and deadly beauty. Solo guitars, rhythm guitars and... oh perfection! I can easily tell you that I've become a great fan of this band!
The impression I had while listening to this album several times was very positive and rewarding in all possible aspects. I am absolutely sure that past fans of the band will be delighted with this new release of Balfor, as well I'm sure that many will become after the release of this album. Congrats to all members and their impressive work. Undoubtedly an epic black/death metal band that is enshrined with praise! Hail Thyself!
Review written by: Felin Frost
Rate: 9/10
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