I've always considered it a pity that the world doesn't get to hear much about the Metal scene in Serbia. There are a slew of amazing bands that stem from there, such as MAY RESULT, TAMERLAN, and THE STONE, making this a country well worth considering. In keeping with this hard-to-shed cloak of anonymity, we find ANGUISH SUBLIME, formed in 1998, who have emerged this year, offering up their third opus, "Thornwinged". This EP comprising one instrumental intro and three full-length songs is here to let you know that these guys are still alive and kicking, albeit not very proliferously.

Opening with a short instrumental "Black Moon Diadem", interesting progressions are used to create the atmosphere for the remainder of the EP. The title track "Thornwinged" is a mid-paced almost ballad-like song with clean vocals which gradually give way to rasped Black Metal style vocals. Added to this is a strong folky element which gives it a curious twist. "Rainfall Epiphany" on the other hand has a darker and heavier feel to it, bringing in more Death Metal influences. The rhythm of a frantically ticking clock marks "Heart of The Void" before surrendering to a faster and more brutal tempo, keeping the listener engaged throughout. This is my favourite song on the EP, and shows what the band is capable of; if ANGUISH SUBLIME can keep up the quality set in this song, then their next release will certainly be something to look forward to.

Overall, the recording quality may not exactly be outstanding, but this does give the album a more organic feel. However, whilst their music is well-structured and incorporates a myriad of different elements that are well melded together, "Thornwinged" somehow is missing that last little touch that would make it exceptional. Nevertheless, if you're into your Melodic Death with a very heavy emphasis on the "melodic" part and a smattering of Folk influences, then I'd recommend checking out ANGUISH SUBLIME.