Pripegal - Ziemia Gromadzi Prochy CD

Pripegal is the personal project of Mscislaw, who is also the singer and guitarist of Abusiveness. The band began in 1995 with the ambition to create Slavonic black metal and Bathory being the main influence. Even though the songs were composed earlier, it was 2004 when the debut album “Slavia Antiqua” was out. It was an underground release limited to 300 pieces, offering us average raw pagan black metal.

The new album though is quite different! Mscislaw has paid much more attention to the compositions and a lot of synths are added. Actually I think “Ziemia Gromadzi Prochy” is more a symphonic majestic black metal album, than pagan black. It is a more melodic and technical work, but this kind of music requires much better production. The drums should feel more real and the sound is a bit “drowned”, not having the power it deserves. I guess the budget couldn’t allow something better. Anyway, the reason I review this album is because behind the sound problems there are really great ideas. Amazing and countless epic melodies flow in each song. The excellent use of keyboards and acoustic guitars in combination with the inspired riffs help the band to create an epic majestic black metal album, much better (in music) by the majority of the bands of the genre. They use only brutal vocals, but they are not too raw or extreme in general. Basically it’s a mainstream black metal, but with an underground production. There are some songs that are really excellent and others weaker, but the overall result is much above average.

For me this was a surprising turn in Pripegal’s music that I really welcome. If only the production was better, allowing more people to enjoy their music, things would be much better. Anyway, I hope for sound improvement in the future. The album is released by the Polish label Eastside.