Hagatiz - Cursed To The Night

 

Monochromatic, unmerciful and clearly devoted to the classic nineties occult black metal sound Hagatiz unveil true black metal darkness on their debut album Cursed To The Night. Featuring members of a whole swathe of interesting bands in the underground (Including members of Daupuz, Haxenzijrkell and the incredibly profilic Odium Aeternum (Abythic, Haimad, Lunar Chalice, Mysteria Mystica Aeterna) this album is a testimony to the power of the old gods and features a primeval, stripped back sound that fans of the underground are certain to lose themselves in. 

Cursed To The Night may not be exactly reinventing the steel, but it's a helluva record and one that consistently impresses me with the depth the band brings to the table. Even though the compositions are relatively stripped back, there is something wonderfully compelling about the vision they bring to the table and the unrelenting sense of darkened torment that they continually conjure. The bands otherworldly howls and ability to conjure up blazes in the northern sky is addictive and speaks to a sonic template that has remained potent for decades. The music may not be packed with surprises, but there is something reassuring to discovering another addition to the canon. 

Hagatiz may end up being a one off project, but I certainly hope it winds up as more than that. This is a band with a clear, distinct and powerful vision that hearkens back to their core influences, and which wears those influences on their collective sleeve. This may not be a surprising record, but it's a really powerful one, and one that I think devotees of this scene are going to continually find exciting. It's the sort of dimly lit, freakish music that seems perfect for long nights in cold castles, and I think you'll find it to be that for you too. 

Pre-order the album!

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