Crionics – “Armageddon’s Evolution”
What is cool about this band is that: 1) they play fast, blasting black metal; 2) they make their songs distinctive from one another, not relying on speed alone; 3) they add melody, but the type of melodies which are not clichéd/happy/overly sweet; it’s subtle and slightly twisted. In addition, 4) the vocals are black, but there’s a lot death in them, so fans of brutal death can totally get this; 5) the guitar work has plenty of creativity to spice up the huge barrage of noise. 6) The production is not garage, like those one-man projects. Sounds like a collective effort. There are a few other interesting things: they cover “The Loss and Curse of Reverence” by Emperor, which is probably the closest reference point, especially the “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” period. This Polish band uses synth, but the guitars always dominate. The synth is strictly background feel. Very promising, but not only that, they are already delivering in a serious way.