Review: Semargl - “Manifest”

Band: Semargl
Album: Manifest
Year: 2007
Label: Deathgasm Records

Track list:
01. Disconnection
02. Provocateur
03. Holocaust 66,6%
04. Autokrateia
05. A Lesson “S”
06. Schema
07. Selection
08. Discipline
09. Decoding
10. Triumphant
11. Regressus
12. Plasma
13. The Manifest Of War

From the the largest city of the Ukraine, Kiev, comes a band whose aim is to spread mechanical and spiteful black metal, no trade-offs. “Manifest” is their fourth release and I must say, it’s full of vigor.

Forget romantic ambiance and ventures into the dark ages, Semargl are the voice of a new uncompromising black metal wave that is all about aggression. Despite that, they also create an environment for the listener and offer plenty of post apocalyptic sounds that evoke images of a dead world. I do think that the album could have used a bit of trimming in the length department, it could have given the entire work even more grit.

I wonder what Semargl look like when performing live, judging by the intensity of the songs and their photos, it must be quite a spectacle.

When listening to “Manifest” I couldn’t help but can’t think of Satyricon and Behemoth. The influence is there but Semargl are far from copycats, they deliver their own sound that comes embossed with a large dose of venom. When you finish listening to the entire album you feel the band’s uncommon determination to spreading war.

“Manifest” is pure hate transfigured into music. It’s not full of catchy riffs and hooks that will appeal to a massive audience, and that’s the album’s strong point. The sound is raw, it has purpose, and it wants to devastate everything in its orbit. My verdict is: