Havocum "Satans Apogeum" CD

Co-released with Lower Silesian Stronghold.  Furious, raw Black Metal of Poles from Ireland. Good sound, sometimes melodic, atmospheric inserts in the form of solos. 

New Black Metal project from Ireland with Odour of Death member. 4 tracks EP on CD with 4 pages booklet limited to 500 copies.

Furious, raw Black Metal of Poles from Ireland. Good sound, sometimes melodic, atmospheric inserts in the form of solos.

After Grimcult and Odour of Death we have got band number three including a Polish guy who has become one of my favorite black metal vocalists within a short timeframe. R.Hate or Radek how he is listed here has joined forces with some Irish dudes it seems, but based on the facts here at MA the EP “Satans Apogeum” has been the only output before the band has split up. It is always a bit disappointing to discover a new and promising act just to find out that its existence has already come to an end, but in this case it is not such a pity as like mentioned we got two other great projects as platform for the talent on display here.
Compared to his other two outfits Havocum is a bit closer to Grimcult, offering a similar harsh and raw approach to black metal, but overall this one is maybe just a bit more on the melodic side. There are any number of factors that could be listed to describe why this EP is so excellent, but the most immediate is its sheer listenability. Black metal isn’t what I would typically describe as an inviting style of music, but Havocum have created a piece of music that is both extremely hard-hitting but still melodic. Add the no-nonsense trademark vocals to the mix and you got a real winner.
The coldness here is sterile and precise, yet the music feels lively and enthusiastic. The harsh wall of static guitar washes over throbbing bass as bits of noise skitter and crawl across the soundscape. This EP alternates between the mid-range and upper range of the guitar over nonstop blast beats, trading tremolo riffs back and forth before dropping into a slower, more melancholy section that breaks up the flurried wall of sound. Small touches make the difference between the single songs, with some implemented tempo changes and calmer parts (see for example the ending section of track number three “Usurper/ Succumb to Havocum”) or more atmospheric pieces breaking up the permanent blasting.
The production has been carefully crafted, leading to a great combination of rawness and clarity. Nothing has been buried in muddiness, with the mix being absolutely transparent to my ears. Overall “Satans Apogeum” will not win any innovation awards, as Havocum play things pretty safe, but as a fan of the genre and collector this EP should find its way into your collection. And who likes innovation anyway when it comes to old school black metal?

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...