Much has come out of the Ukraine these past few months; tales of political strife, reports of tragedies, and a whole host of other negative tidings. However, this month sees something positive arising, with Ukrainian Atmospheric Black Metal act STRYVIGOR releasing their debut album, "Forgotten by Ages".

Founded in just 2012, and inspired by the splendour and beauty of their native homeland, STRYVIGOR weaves the majesty and grandeur of these landscapes into their music, making for mythical and emotionally evoking melodies. Starting off the album with a very lengthy atmospheric intro that incorporates hooting owls and howling wolves, the listener is gradually drawn into a serene soundscape of wintry snow-shrouded forests illuminated by lifeless stars. This tranquillity is shattered by "Mysteries of Darkness", a brief track that captures the Black Metal coldness perfectly. The remaining tracks follow on this theme, delivering song after song of ice infused Black Metal, only taking the pace down slightly in the final track "Forgotten by Ages". This is a slower and more melancholic track incorporates a similar melody to that found in the opening intro, rounding off the album nicely, and bringing the listener back full circle.

Many of the melodies are haunting, and this eeriness is perfectly encapsulated in the album artwork: a dead and icy forest emanating subtle hints of a sinister and ominous presence. Amalgamating frost-laden raspy vocals, tempestuous blast beats, fuzzy bass-lines, frenzied guitar-work, and poignant synths, STRYVIGOR have managed to produce a sound that is more aggressive and coldly ravaging than much of the music found in the Atmospheric Black Metal genre, whilst still managing to interlace soul-wrenching melodies that sear in their sepulchre glory.

What I enjoyed about this album is that the synths were used when necessary to add dimension to the underlying compositions; many bands become too reliant on keyboard effects, to the point where all other instruments are drowned out. The recording quality is slightly distorted; this adds to the atmospheric feel of the album, whilst also giving the music a more organic sound. However, the tempos and song structures are kept fairly consistent from one track to another, and although each track is good, there is nothing outstanding about them.

Overall, this is a strong debut, and shows of the potential that STRYVIGOR has. With a total playtime just over half an hour, "Forgotten by Ages" is just long enough to showcase the band's budding ability, whilst still being short enough to prevent it from being repetitive. It reminds me of albums such as "Autumn Aurora" by fellow Ukrainian Black Metallers DRUDKH. If you're a fan of such music, then STRYVIGOR is definitely worth checking out.