GENIUS ULTOR - Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce (ARACHNOPHOBIA - CD 2014)
I
already managed to almost forget about such project as Genius Ultor, although couple
of years ago I gave their debut album “Dzień nocy” quite a positive review. To those,
who’re not familiar with Genius Ultor let me just say that it is a project of
the members of Stillborn, who’re quite respected death / black metal band here
in Poland. But the debut CD of GU was released in 2010! Since then the silence
has covered the project and the only sign of life from those guys was
Stillborn’s “Los Asesinos del Sur” album… and then Ataman Tolovy was active
solo, recording several materials for his killer project called Turin Turambar.
But finally the time was right to do another Genius Ultor, whose second album
came through Arachnophobia – and that is another really awesome release from
this small underground label! Yes, I still can’t shake off after the
magnificent Odraza “Esperalem tkane” CD and the label attacks with Genius Ultor!
Trust me, I spent last couple of weeks, listening to “Nic co boskie nie jest mi
obce” and this album gets better and better with every listen. I mean, I was
impressed since the beginning, really, but now when I know all these songs
pretty well I am also finally ready to review the album and I am also sure that
it won’t be an exaggeration or some ass-kissing, if I say that it’s yet another
awesome Polish black metal album!
But
there can be a debate whether we should call “Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce” a
black metal at all? Not that it would really matter, I suppose that the band
won’t give a damn shit about labelling their music… but the fact is that Genius
Ultor is far away from the typical, classically meant black metal releases from
Scandinavia. Some Polish bands, just like the mentioned Odraza, have created
some sort of unique sound and style, special feeling and atmosphere, and even
if their music is rooted in the black metal style, then combined with this
uniqueness the result is just something different and something out of
ordinary. And Genius Ultor is also such exceptional band. Another thing is
whether an album like “Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce” will be able to speak
and reach to non Polish listeners, as I have a feeling like they won’t be able
to understand it at all… just look at the lyrics. All
texts on “Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce” have a special character, are
unordinary. They are also, together with the very characteristic vocal sound of
Wirus, responsible for creating the atmosphere on the album. So, if you don’t
understand the lyrics, then you may lose the essence of the whole material. So,
better learn Polish, if you want to find out what “Nic
co boskie nie jest mi obce” is all about!
So,
the vocals and lyrics do give something unique to the album. But the music I
dare to say is also far from typical black metal stuff. Sure, Genius Ultor
managed to create a dense, thick and black as a tar, dark and sick atmosphere!
Yes, some of these riffs are almost hypnotizing, but the whole album is full of
variety and there are many slower, mid and fast parts spread through all seven
tracks. But that diversity, along with quite original way of playing and
arranging the songs and vocals, are what makes the album so interesting. Many
great riffs, many totally killer parts… and every song will surprise with
something awesome and memorable. The title song, then “Koniec wszystkiego co
znamy”, “Zwycięstwo” – these songs will show you what Genius Ultor is all
about. And in the end we have an acoustic track titled “Krew nie woda”, which
is based on Impaled Nazarene “Blood Is Thicker Than Water”… OK, I don’t
remember the original at all, as last time I have listened to anything from
Impaled Nazarene was over a decade ago (I’m just not a fan!), but this acoustic
song, with great harsh or clean vocals sound fantastic and so weird hehe! It
just shows that bands like Genius Ultor have no boundaries… Also in such
“Koniec wszystkiego co znamy” you’ll find a mid part, which is so far away from
the known and common black metal playing. But that’s the strength of this band,
especially when they put such fragment between fast, blasting black metal!
Sometimes the music has the simplicity and dirtiness of old punk, just like in “Kataryniarz”,
which is filthy, vulgar, uncompromising and aggressive… and cold as dead. And
if there’s a song, which really is close to Impaled Nazarene, then it probably
is “Zło przenajświętsze”.
Bands
like Genius Ultor have their own vision for extreme music and black metal.
Albums like “Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce” are brave and
unordinary, and I am not sure whether everyone will really enjoy this stuff,
for it’s just not like the typical black metal. And there are these vocals and
lyrics, which will probably sound so weird for non Polish listeners... maybe
this is why we, Poles, worship such albums and at the same time they don’t
reach as many maniacs abroad. But come on! You all listen to Norwegian, German
or French lyrics, so do that also with Polish black metal and I can assure you
that “Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce” will strike you hard and won’t leave you
careless. This is simply a very good album, indeed!
Standout tracks: “Nic co boskie nie jest mi obce”,
„Zwycięstwo”, “Koniec wszystkiego co znamy”, „Kataryniarz”
Final
rate: 85/100
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