SVNEATR – The Howl, The Whisper, The Hunt

Band: Svneatr
Title: The Howl, The Whisper, The Hunt
Label: Independent
Release Date: 16 March 2018
Country: Canada
Format Reviewed: High Quality Digital Promos

This is a surprise to be honest. When I decided to check these guys from the promos we have (I have overlooked obviously), I really was caught by surprise. SVNEATR! Yes it is a black metal, coming from the cold lands of Canada. BUT! From one side those so melodic and even non-typical riffs. From other, the compositions of the trio are very interesting in terms of their rhythm and tempo. The tracks just consist of thrashy and even groovy elements. Moreover the drums are clear, louder than the guitars and they have typical thrash sound (!), which just resonates absolutely prefect to those thrashy parts of the tracks. Black metal with a twist of a groove? Hmmm

Now, “The Howl, The Whisper, The Hunt” is the debut full-length album of the band. It comes just after the 2015 EP “Serpents and storm”. “The Howl…” is exactly 36.36 min long, with 6 tracks inside. An interesting detail is the artwork of the record, which is a painting by Friedrich Gauremann from 1855 – “Wölfe reissen einen Hirsch”.

The opener “The Howl” begins in an blowing thrash rhythm before it turns into the black spectrum woods. This is the first surprise. Definitely it is a very catchy track and in the same time melodic and enjoyable. “The Whisper” just continues the catchy line, adding grooves and some even beats to the black metal patters. “The Hunt” is predominantly slow and heavy track, more into the “Circle of the tyrants” vibes. The same spirit I felt with the rawer “Crimson star”. “Trance” is torturous, hallucinating, with nightmarish screams and clear guitars taken out of a dream. Great melody here as well. “Kingdom falls” is again thrashy and groovy in the beginning before the black whirlwind take over and then suddenly to enter into the slower melodic pressure piling final in the end part.

Well, again honestly I was surprised and impressed to listen to so diverse and different black metal album, with a dose of old school nostalgia and melody. On top you have that thrashy spirit and interesting patterns implemented in all compositions. All the above somehow leave a sad trail of a big loss, of something missed or gone. It is worth checking ““The Howl, The Whisper, The Hunt” because I know you love to listen to new and interesting stuff. With a lot of soul!

That’s why I leave you with the message by the band on their Bandcamp page:

“We are systematically destroying our world. Without care, without remorse. The greed of our fellow man envelopes us in it’s dark cloud. We do unspeakable acts unknowingly, cogs in a wheel of “progress”. We turn our heads away and bury them in the sand because our lives are comfortable and safe. We hate so much and love so little.
We are broken.”

7/10 Count Vlad

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