Thirst - Blacklight

A solid period of fifteen years the Polish duo Thirst has under its belt. Curiously, or let’s better say tragically nobody seemed to give a damn about them in yon space of time, maybe except for some patriots. Admittedly, one definitely wasn’t suchlike conspicuous in the past. Indeed, two full albums, three demos and one split are a firm balance. But among this there’s nothing which raised a kind of real attention.

So, for the jubilee one comes up with a full-lengther, which at least technically dwarfs all the former stuff of the band. Obviously, one attaches great importance to a powerful and unutterable massive sound. Though, musicians, especially in this genre, first of all with this make a glaring mistake. Because, only a few things are more horrible for a listener than having to endure what one for himself wishes to relish in a mostly rawer sound-garb. “Blacklight” after some cycles of listening embodies exactly this wish. Viewed musically, throughout effective riff-leadings are expressed, which, though, not necessarily emerge in frequency, but in their certain moments, be it those of evilness, melancholy or coldness, without doubt show force.

Otherwise this force steadily decreases rapidly when yon winks are strangulated in form of unexpectedly annoying breaks and this absolute massiveness. One has to imagine that like following: The throughout high tempo by dint of the clearly overproduced and artificial drums builds up a bass-dominated wall, which only after some time fills the listener with antipathy. Additionally, the anywhere polished sounding guitars squeeze into the arrangement and by virtue of their baggy character develop a kind of warm aura, what in the end also for the appearance of many riffs is everything else than conducive. Finally, one adds some chant as well as a bass-guitar-layer and some symphonic keyboard-elements, and already this can become too much. To pile it on one would say for that. And de facto the arguably well meant overdose of sound-quality displaces everything what this music without question was able to rear up: atmosphere.

This would –while taking the Emperor-sound from `94 - whirr around in gloomy fields of magic, of black magic; would sound infernal and occult, soothed by some latent kept moments of light.It's not the best Black metal disc I have ever heard...but it is definitely better than the horrible ones I have had to endure over the last couple of years. Too bad they decided to go for a more polished sound instead of paying tribute to the Gods of youre like Emperor and Bathory's first couple of discs. Sometimes raw IS better.


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Artist: Thirst
Album: Blacklight
Genre: Progressive/Melodic Black Metal
Website: www.myspace.com/thirstbm
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

By Bez