Zmarłym - Druga fala

ZMARŁYM - Druga fala (GODZ OV WAR - CD 2021)

Time flies fast, I was supposed to review this album over two months ago, but I simply had no time to do this earlier. Or I was lazy. I did listen to Zmarłym a couple of times upon its arrival, mostly intrigued with that killer artwork on the front, but honestly, I didn't find the music much interesting. So, I was even happy to put the album in the freezer and let it wait for its turn. Now's my second approach to "Druga fala"... And I'm trying to get off this album as much positive as I could. Because I'm not able to like it in its entirety. Actually, I would split this album into two halves - one, which is pretty good and other, which I tolerate as much as goat cheese (blaaagghhh). 

Splitting "Druga fala" into two halves is actually pretty simple, as the music has such a vast contrast between some songs or particular fragments that it has almost a shocking effect. Zmarłym is almost balancing on the edge of parody and very close to fall off that cliff into the useless bottom. 

So, there's that quite typical Polish black metal part, where Zmarłym can bring a resemblance to bands like Furia, Mgła, Biesy, Odraza or whatever... These comparisons may be a bit loose, but all these bands surely fit into one category and you could just distinguish them from the abroad black metal easily. So, we have here songs like the opening track which are just solid and decent black metal. There's nothing insanely impressive about it, but it is fairly enjoyable, I think. Especially that there are some really ear catching and memorable harmonies. "Życie wieczne cz.1" is also worth to be mentioned here, I think it may be my favourite tune on the album, maybe because of its blasting, ferocious manner. "Spacer" does the same for me too. It also shows how well that album has been produced. 

But I am afraid that Zmarłym has that tendency to show off with some completely out of place and unnecessary experiments. The way there are included here and how they diversify the music is just ruining everything for me and most importantly it irritates me completely. So, Zmarłym uses some electronic, trance - or whatever you call it - stuff in songs like "Zostanwgrobie". And I just cannot say anything positive about it. I don't like it. This stuff doesn't make the music any better and the effect is even worse with truly lame clean or spoken vocal parts. More of that stuff comes in "Życie wieczne cz.2" or the most irritating of them all, "Naszym i waszym" (more shit vocals there!). None of that stuff appeals to me, it is a garbage really. Hmm, I remember I did like some more experimental bands in the past, like Morowe, FDS or Thaw - but I have not listened to them in many years. I am not sure then if Zmarłym can be compared to them too. I will gladly listen to them all one day and see if my musical taste has changed so much in these years or it is just Zmarłym, who does something not so right. 

All in all, it is hard to put a decisive opinion on "Druga fala". That black metal part of this album is fine, but nothing outstanding. The experimental side screams "caramba, make them stop"! Maybe I'm too much like Roger Murtaugh and "too old for this shit"? Really, this is how I feel, because all these new trends on the black metal scene annoy me more than ever before. Whatever. Some people will love "Druga fala", I am sure. It is controversial album, so there will be also many, who will hate it. I just don't care, to be honest. 

Verdict: 60/100