Krolok ‎"Flying Above Ancient Ruins" CD Digipack

Three guys from Slovakian blackened heavy metal band Malokarpatan have formed another outfit named Krolok to show their love for traditional/atmospheric black metal. After some splits, demos and an EP the debut full length “Flying Above Ancient Ruins” has been released, showing some musicians with a lot of talent and a very concrete idea about what they want to achieve.
Instead of trying to find a completely new sound Krolok took inspirations from the big Scandinavian bands of the nineties and injected some of their own ideas, to make the music come across fresh and energetic. The main riffs might sound familiar, but some of the chord progressions feel like a modern twist on something that has been written three decades ago. A lot of the trademark chops are repeated over and over again, but often with subtle variation, lending the music a slightly monotonous but also hypnotic and very stringent character. There is a certain rawness inherent in the band’s overall sound with some of the harmonies coming across a bit disharmonic, but this fact only adds to the thick atmosphere created on “Flying Above Ancient Ruins”.
The greatest aspect of the album is how the harmonies of the lead guitars have been woven into the whole picture and how they work as contrast to the aggressive riff attacks. The guys have a fantastic talent for creating haunting and beautiful melodies that feel melancholic and depressive, but also offer a glimmer of hope at the same time. They have worked with the interaction of musky moments and lighter pieces and have melted all those elements into one great piece of sinister and eerie art. The ambient soundscapes dwelling in the dark build a fantastic and gloomy atmosphere.
The trademark chords are complemented by superb drum work, well considered patterns that enhance the outstanding guitar work and a predominant rasping growl of a delivery that ascends to a blackened gurgling scream, both presenting the lyrical content which add to the atmosphere of this album. While there are some blast-beat sections and a good use of the cymbals the music never sounds too chaotic or disharmonic.
The production is spot on. It is not always easy to find the sweet spot between getting a clear and powerful sound yet keep things organic and natural at the same time. Krolok managed to achieve exactly that making the album a pleasure to consume. The cover reminds more of a death metal album than an atmospheric black metal album, but looks cool as well. Overall a fantastic piece of captivating music.

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