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There aren't many bands from Poland who are known by the metal community. Darzamat is now signed to Massacre Records and so they have a chance to present themselves to a larger audience. In the 14 years of existing they had so face several line-up changes, but that's life. Solfernus' Path is their 5th album and their first conceptual album.
They slowly lead into the album with False Sleepwalker. Whispered words. The atmosphere is dark.. threatening. Then they storm off. Symphonic black metal passages with harsh vocals of Flauros and the powerful, melodic vocals of Nera. The quintet switches between black metallic parts and symphonic metal. Especially Nera's vocals add something special, coz this time you don't get angelic or operatic vocals. Their symphonic black metal past shows through, even if they head into another musical direction. Vote For Heresy is a fast track with thrashy elements which gets a death metal-edge due to Flauros' growls. But there are symphonic elements, too. At Pain Collector Nera's vocals - mainly the phrasing - reminds me of Cristina Scabbia and Anneke van Giersbergen, just that Nera has a darker timbre. Later in the song they present a short passage where they storm off and where Flauros takes over again. They storm off for Final Conjuration. No song without twists and turns, so you get a middle part where they reduce the speed and add some complexity. Again they use a short instrumental interlude to lead over, this time it builds the bridge to Gloria Inferni. The title track is another fast one, after a break they offer again a slightly slower part where Nera takes over the mic again. Even some progressive elements are woven into this one - and then they storm off again. Piano-based is Lunar Silhouette, a ballad and gives the listener a short break. At King Of Burning Anthems they vary a bit more... A kind of powerful gothic track with symphonic elements and a short neo-classical guitar part. And with A Mesmeric Séance they end this album, slowly, symphonically they kick off, then a break and the tune becomes a mid-paced gothic metal track. If this is an indicator what to expect in future of Darzamat, then they will make many new friends!
A quite good album, but many songs seem to follow the same scheme... If they can vary a bit more next time, it will make them a lot stronger! It seems that they are on the right track, but that the evolution they are going through isn't finished yet... Anyway, fans of symphonic black metal and open-minded gothic metal fans should check out the Polish band!
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