Metal truly knows no bounds when it comes to innovation, especially black metal with its many different corners that help make an already niche style become even more niche as many different bands pull the style in all sorts of directions. So many different flavors in areas I never thought I’d be hearing black metal from compelling likes from Les Chants du Hasard to Gaerea, it just keeps on giving. Bringing hardcore into the mix sounds like it could be a fucking mess if put into the wrong hands, but Bednja’s hands are anything but the wrong ones.
Just trying to fathom such a concoction is something that just rattles my brain because they’re just so different in essence, but that’s never stopped other bands from trying to do the very same with black metal and something else to bring forth a new experience that’s nigh on unique that could very well pioneer its own branch on the tree of black metal. Do I think Bednja managed to do that with “Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas”? Not quite, but there’s a fuck ton of growth that can easily be made as this record not only dominates but shows us a fresh take on two different styles that are made to work out surprisingly well all things considered. “Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas” gives us a very emotional work of six tracks that don’t hold back except for the occasional example of atmosphere that brings yet another tremendous level to this already immensely compacted album, and it only gets more refined as the album progresses as Bednja continuously shows us a likely one of a kind blend that’s ripe for loads more exploration and tweaking. With vocals that can easily cover both black metal and hardcore, we’re always given a representation of both sounds that are done without fail along with instrumentation that can be just as scathing and punishing as it can be introspective and tranquil. Even after several spins of “Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas”, it’s still remarkable to see just how exactly this mix came together in a pretty damn awesome mix that can’t be underestimated with their being loads of excellence packed into this six tracks that are still, clearly, ripe for improvement if given the gifts of attention and time which I’m all but confident Bednja will provide in large amount.
The constant innovation is something that will always keep me coming back to metal, and it’s bands like Bednja that are just prime examples of why I continue to do so as they brought together two very unlikely friends for a record that’s far from anything to ignore should you want to hear something quite interesting. There are always loads of boundary-pushing albums that black metal pumps out each year and “Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas” is definitely one that should not be ignored for people who enjoy that exact kind of weird shit that just somehow works.
“Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas” releases on November 29th via Transcending Obscurity Records!
LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Doline Su Ostale Iza Nas” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Bednja on Facebook here.
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