Metal maniacs, rejoice! I am proud to present to you: GRIMA; signed via Naturmacht Productions, hailing from Russian grounds - performing Atmospheric Black Metal, on their 5th full-length studio album entitled: "Frostbitten" (released July 29th, 2022). Since formation in 2014; the duo in question has 5 full-length studio albums and a live album in their discography so far entitled: "Devotion To Lord" (released November 28th, 2015), "Tales Of The Enchanted Woods" (released February 25th, 2017), "Will Of The Primordial" (released August 3rd, 2019), "Rotten Garden" (released January 22nd, 2021), "The Mighty Spirit (Live In Moscow)" (released September 9th, 2021) and this here 5th offering entitled: "Frostbitten" of which I am introduced to. 7 tracks ranging around 48:55; GRIMA arranges an intricately designed formula on some heavy-hitting Atmospheric Black Metal developments.

Opening up with this ominously jarring synthetic of eerie but ghastly soundscape; "Gloomy Heart Of The Coldest Land" belts a clobbering foundation in blistering barrage harmonics, frenzying eardrums with snarly scourers & bludgeoning atmospherics in which rumbles with reverberating mayhem whilst sturdy thuds trembles speakers with monolithic tempo that surges with skyrocketing momentum on trailblazing volatility. Vilhelm on vocals/guitars attributes at a DANI FILTH aesthetic; intertwining ambient but blackened archetypes in archaic craftsmanship ability to showcase rampantly rompy guitar dexterity, followed by a dynamic cord range which showcases some WATAIN vibes for good measure. Shouty raspiness soars with throaty screams while yelling roars bark daintily with these bleeding gutturals in high-pitched rage, injecting an infectiously blasphemous conundrum in solid slabbiness & riveting nimbleness of rapidly strident swiftness that bulldozes heads into a boisterously bouncy calamity on rhythmic seamlessness, portraying sonic vehemence within this unique versatility on berserking bleakness that's most prolific.

Frolicking chugs and galloping density articulate in a flamboyant fabrication in impactful instrumental haze, forging a misty malignance with mountainous songwriting musicianship that's thumpy & stompy. "Giant's Eternal Sleep" smacks drum battering cymbals with rambunctiously piledriving stability; synergised with rollicking, twinning rifts within twin  maelstrom Morbius who throttles his axe with primitively raw flickers and organic substance of monstrously meaty yet pandemonic force. Mythically merging this dark but sulphurous shrine of cavernous crunchiness and distinctively distinguished chunk in choppy maliciousness; ramified with wildly rushing shreds & weighty tightness of punchy robustness that provides profuse perseverance on top of persistently bombarding barbarity in which rattles souls with salubriously hybrid experimentation in which manifests with relentless viscerality to boot.

"Into The Twilight" venomously unearths this melodic tremor of gloom horizon doom; as this semi-bleak ebb elements an intriguing implementation in immersive intense strikes that pursuit with razor-sharp shrieks & virulent majesty, stampeding through with rampaging yet mellifluous euphony which materialises with mechanised retribution on top of this ethereal buoyancy that's most other-worldly superlunary whilst an elysian field in exquisite elegance fulfils you with radically wicked embrace. A flexibly fundamental strife within "Hunger God" executes an extreme aggression; bringing back that ruinous dread in foreboding but grindy interjection of slaying pummels within those stampy volleys of prodigiously prestigious pummels on pounding, steely precision that bongs heftily with savagely sinister profanity & this trepidation-filled feeling of this apocalyptic loneliness in a cold landscape that's most chilling. Especially in "Moonspell & Grief"; where this windy air and acoustic chime mystifies you with that sense of dissonant isolation, until the booming echo grooves with resounding rolls that desolates bodies with resonant disparity and droning grumbles adaptfully well.

An abhorrent but ritualistic profanity towers with tyrannical precision; where that twilight distortion creates a concretely gritty malformation on arbitrary contortion, while the bizarre introduction of the penultimate track "Winter Morning Tower" starts off with this unorthodox flute-like charm... as if calming down that ravening bestiality in brutal assimilation with this party dance fuelled hymn, before crashing it down with more disastrous apprehension that makes the listener feel more stark once again. Concluding "Frostbitten" with the overall finishing epic: "Mana"; this short interlude closes the record with a borderline foundation in empowering apparition of melancholic mobility, where this windswept bitterness implodes in your mind with sublime ravage that eases bones from that razing tribulation with respite & somewhat reprieving solitude.

Bottom line; I am compelled to say that GRIMA most surely outdone themselves with this one, for a duo performing of this magnitude within this sub-genre, a mesmerising slice of Atmospheric Black Metal justifiability supplies an intriguing presentation of this with strong premise that's worthy of spinning & re-playing a good few times should you be a fan of this take as a whole. Most definitely an enjoyably entertaining discovery for Black Metal maniacs to divulge in during the winter days for emptying thoughts whilst remaining remote. Definitely check it out!