Nagual - Self Conqueror

NAGUAL - Self Conqueror (PUTRID CULT - MCD 2016)

I didn’t have a chance to hear this project’s debut release titled “Zgliszcza” and to be honest, after reading some mixed reviews I didn’t even plan to check this band. But now, after many listens of their new recording I am very glad that I got a chance to hear it, because it’s one of the best Polish black metal releases of this year and something I really wanna recommend now. Here’s Nagual with new MCD titled “Self Conqueror”, recently unleashed by Putrid Cult. There are three songs on this release and I have to say that the music was a positive surprise for me.

Personally I expected to hear kind of depressive, melancholic black metal. And sure, Nagual music is atmospheric, it does bring many nostalgic as well as melodic fragments and generally it’s quite easily listenable and memorable black metal. But I am glad that at the same time the music has kept the original black metal harshness and that it also contains quite many aggressive and ferocious, fast fragments that really sound great and powerful. All together “Self Conqueror” is a diverse and truly well composed, arranged and performed material. Instrumental parts are top notch (I’m glad to hear real drummer, instead of the machine), the vocals of Nagual (sole member of this project) are very good as well… so, basically I can only speak in super positive words about “Self Conqueror”.

I’ve mentioned that there are three songs here. Each is slightly different, for example the title song is quite fast, but my favourite is the one titled “Labyrinth's Fall”. It sounds fantastic, the main verse part is catchy as hell, it also erupts with powerful, fast parts… yeah, it truly is a killer song. I’m also positively surprised that Nagual didn’t need to use keyboards for his music and all harmonies are coming from guitars. Stylistically, if I had to make some comparisons, then it would range between many bands, from Furia, through Shining and finishing even with Diabolical Masquarade (if you take keyboards and heavy metal elements off them). All in all, we deal with absolutely excellent release and one, which is highly recommended.

Standout track: “Labyrinth's Fall”

Final rate: 85/100