ZiFiR - Demoniac Ethics

This is a weird one. Ukranian black metal has always fascinated me, from Tchornobog to Drudkh there is something truly special about the black metal that comes from the country. The sheer desperation communicated in ZiFiR's latest offering, Demoniac Ethics only serves to confirm this. Their unique blend of atmospheric black metal with the avant garde all whilst making sure to occasionally nod back to the second wave of the genre makes for some compelling and one of a kind listening.

I love the gnarled snarl of the vocals. The way they are spit out on a track like 'Chaos Clouds' in some ways evokes early memories of listening to Mayhem in middle school. The band is clear about their vision and though it is expansive, this is a record that eagerly takes on the challenge of communicating the depths of their depravity. It makes for some weird twists and turns, but as a general rule this is an album that becomes absolutely worth spending the time with. Sure there are a lot of moments that are cripplingly dense, but in many ways that's a crucial part of the appeal of a band like this one.

Demoniac Ethics is a fascinating listen. The kaleidoscope of ideas that collide together here are often unexpected and surprisingly witty. The soaring atmospheres of a track like Spirit Of Goats are mesmerizing and take the listener on a surreal journey through space and time. There is just so much to sink your teeth into as you dig through the record that to try and summarize it in just a few hundred words would be remiss - this is one of those things that really needs to be heard to be believed, it's a dense listen, but a rewarding one.

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