Returning to the front lines, UK based War metal division, Sturmtiger, brings us their latest arsenal of heavy hitting war hymns. Transcendent Warfare, is a brutal assault to the senses, curating a slew of hard-hitting militant drumming, berserker dissonant riffs, and deep bestial vocals that streak fear into their enemies.
Greeting you with a blasting force on the two minute assault titled Forced March, the band won’t be keeping any prisoners with this release. With this being their second full-length, these guys show a strong grasp on the delicate balance of blackend death metal. Taking influence from the old guard of Black Witchery, Impaled Nazerene, Diocletian, and even a touch of Bolt Thrower with aggressive and guttural yet still clean and comprehendable, creating a much more grounded experience to the already oppressive and hypnotic instrumentation. The riffs are heavy and addicting to listen to. They’re clean and hit every mark, but still hold onto a very raw and gritty sound that crushes the listener under its heavy tank treads. The drums also don’t let up, again showing a clear case of skill and precision and diversity too. Not shying away from some slower and mid-paced marks inbetween the onslaught of endless blast beats and crushing d-beats.
There’s not many draw backs I can think of with this album, the all around presentation and sound is what blackened death metal should be. Unhinged, raw, and filled with a nihilistic rage that cares for no one not even the self. Sturmtiger is a band that I think captures the essence of the first world war and its brutality in its entirety. I also feel as though they capture the surreal and at times psychedelic nature of war its self as well, with the aid of its hazy production and tracks that flow into one another in a seamless manner that creates a warlike hypnosis, capturing the cold nihilistic state of mind those soldiers stuck in the trenches must’ve felt as they symphony of war wages on above them. These guys really capture that image and run with it, and their sound being so unrelenting, its just simply a perfect fit.
This to me is an incredibly strong album and really scratches that blackened death metal itch that I can never satisfy. It hits that mark perfectly and something I really found my self coming back to again and again, those riffs are simply hypnotic. Highly recommend giving this album and this band as a whole a listen.