Stigmhate
The Sun Collapse

Graaaawl, or something like that is how this album begins and starting an album with such a noise or whatever you like to call it is just stupid, and bad. It is like they want to make a statement: “we are marching for black metal, unwavering and with fist in the air, evil and aggressive in our stance for evil to prevail”. That is not a good statement, at least not in my book. Stigmhate is an Italian band with two previous album which makes this their third. They have seen members come and go during their years and the trio are now out with a new offering which is the first one they have made since 2006 where only one of the present members were a part. So, what about this album then?

Classical black metal, that is inspired by the Swedish style of that particular genre. If you know bands like Dark Funeral you know more or less how this sounds as well. Production is typical of the genre, vocals are typical, the riffing is typical and the only thing slightly atypical is the use of some keys here and there. To be honest the 34 minutes of music offers nothing that can be described as reinventing the genre, or even wavering slightly from it. It is just typical black metal, plain and simple.

I Find this album a tad boring, it starts with an abyssal roar which sort of puts me off this album for a bit. It doesn’t really get any better as I move deeper and deeper into the album, there is nothing to really grab me, nothing that feels fresh or unique in a genre that is already overflowing with bands like this. I am not impressed, that’s for sure.

Granted, it is fairly good for a black metal album, but that is like saying: “I have syphilis the best of the sexually transmitted diseases”, not really that impressive, is it? But sure, if you like the genre you will probably find this evil and impressive and well up your alley. If you are not impressed with the genre before hearing this, you will not be more impressed with it after hearing it.

A typical black metal album, nothing more and nothing less. Not really that impressive to be honest and it will probably only appeal to the ones that are already into the genre.