The Croatian black metal scene may at first glance not be among the most active, but in the past, as well as at the moment, a lot of unique artists can be found to captivate you with their authenticity and raw might.
Combining symphonic black, thrash and death for the most part, the musicians from the fascinating territory of my second homeland  Croatia confidently weigh their place in the Balkan underground scene.

And among the dungeons of Rijeka, which are at the epicenter of the strongest waves ever created in the Croatian scene, a dark shadow rises to the surface, snarling menacingly with its misanthropic whispers, shaking off the ashes of a 20-year dusty robe… SVITOGOR, the mighty slayer of mediocrity,  awakens from his deep slumber to bring upon the world what it deserves—total destruction through painful truths, and to sneer at the stupidity and arrogance of the two-legged vermin. Confidently marching against the false dogmas and abominations of the world tainted by the foolish thoughts and deeds of mortals, SVITOGOR is here to devour all.

Crawling from the depths with a melody of enticing gentle piano, ritualistic sounscapes and the sound of hissing snakes… “Frequencies” instantly transports you into the dark crypt of SVITOGOR, steeped in darkness and hushed forgotten terror. A fast and intense black metal instrumental with accentuated guitars takes over the space before long, and in sync with the harsh atmosphere, the vocals of Insanus enter, capturing your soul with intense emotional charge. The next moment we pass through a mesmerizing veil of psychedelic soundscapes with beautiful melancholic clean vocals with dark wave elements that suddenly break into emotional screams. Already at this point, you are guaranteed to feel that this will not be an ordinary album, and in the best possible sense… SVITOGOR simply conquers the auditory chambers and messes deeply with the listener’s mind.

With each subsequent song on the album, the thrills become more palpable, and the rising power of the newly awakened beast begins to look closer and more menacing. With the Croatian artist’s signature epicness, ‘Delusions’ casts a dark shadow with its ferocious riffs and explosive screams, with the track’s main theme running through musings on the meaning of existence. Combining ambient sounds, a range of guitar techniques and veiled hints of other genres, SVITOGOR’s black metal is something you don’t hear every day and might remind you slightly of Insanus’ other creative offspring – the timeless Castrum, Zvijer, Czaar, Kult Perunov and others.

And here comes the moment to ask you something – can you imagine the combination between dark wave melancholy, wild heavy metal accents in the spirit of Black Sabbath, death metal blasts and black metal? Well, in tracks like „Spider Knows Its Craft“ – the sixth track of the album, you can hear a direct demonstration of this very interesting and captivating symbiosis.

In addition to the masterful interweaving of different styles and the creation of an intoxicating atmosphere in which you often do not know what lies ahead, the album also impresses with its lyrical dedication to misanthropy, esotericism and entering the unknown territories of human mind. And as depicted on the captivating cover art, it’s about diving deep into puzzling dimensions…

„The lungs expand in a fiery flame
I become the truth, far from man
In the depths, I found the heights and meaning
The Existence in me is slowly bleeding“

„The Howling Void“ is an hour-long sonic storm that holds you in its furious embrace until the very end, revealing before you pictures you never knew existed. Emotionally charged and intense black metal intertwines with melancholic atmospheres, the end result being the ultimate immersion in SVITOGOR’s tale of terror. The beast has awakened from a deep slumber, ready to subdue the dark subterranean rivers of the mind…prepare to fall under its massive veil of darkness.

Hear the full album below:

Album: „The Howling Void“
Band: SVITOGOR
Label: InsArt Records
Release date : January 26th, 2024
Pre-order link: https://bit.ly/3RJKcBh