It’s killer to find a Melodic Blackened Death Metal band that I can really fuckin admire. It’s quite the anomaly within my usual rotation of Thrash, Death, and Black Thrash styles because I love the abrasive and raw nature damn near all the time. Stortregn has surprised me, and I’m happy to say I’ll be listening to this when I need to change shit up!
The band, who hail from Switzerland, used to be known as Divine’s Smile and Addict Repulsion. Although I couldn’t find any further info regarding those bands, I have no doubts that it had some bearing on where they are now. This transcended into five full length albums, with the fifth most recent titled “Impermanance”; released just this year.
The very fuckin’ heart of their WHOLE discography seems to me to circle around birth, life, and the grave; but “Impermanence” is the black icing on the Metal cake. The tracks that reign supreme to me are “Cosmos Eater,” “Multilayered Chaos,” and “Impermanence” but every single song glides into the next with seamless aggression! It never once feels disconnected from their overall concept; from music to album art. It’s clear they know not only HOW to play well, but actually give it some depth. I mean for fuck’s sake, even their name means “Downpour” in Swedish!
From wailing Bluesy tones, Black/Death metal-esqe vocals, and killer drum work, I think there is something for everyone to admire. If you’re into Dissection, Naglfar, or pre 1997 In Flames, then this is definitely something to add to your ever expanding list of bands to check out. Get ready to bury yourself six feet into the grave with one hand out towards the sun, ever changing, and always headbanging!
Rating – 4/5
https://stortregn.bandcamp.com/album/impermanence
https://www.facebook.com/Stortregn
The Metal Wanderlust 