STRIGOI was formed in 2017 and they are from Chile. The band name has its origin in the Romanian mythology and it refers to the troubled spirits from the Dead when they rise from the grave. STRIGOI are a Death Metal band with Thrash Metal and Black Metal influences. Their self-titled debut EP was digitally released in 2018 and rereleased as CD via former Polish label Fukk. There is no video release from the EP and it has a length of 16 minutes.

The EP starts with an intro that begins with a dark lead guitar-driven sequence and then transitions into a cinematic sample. "Spectral Chimes" is then the first real indication what to expect from STRIGOI. At first I thought that I listen to HELLHAMMER. The sound is raw and aggressive and played mid-tempo during the first part of the song. However, patterns slightly change throughout the song as well as the tempo gets faster. The guitar riffs and lead guitar sequences are simple but effective. "Spectral Chimes" is in many aspects a Death Metal song but with strong Thrash Metal vibes, especially during the fast parts and during the lead guitar solo. The vocals are raw and aggressive mostly at the medium end of the vocal range. "Sepulchral Earth's Fumes" continues to be a highly paced affair and the good old Thrash Metal vibes from the eighties continue especially during another classic lead guitar solo.

"Volcanic Miasma" is a bit darker than the other songs. After a mid-tempo start with doomy guitar riffs and lead guitar sequences, it transitions into a fast part while maintaining the dark character of the sound. The song has a few breaks with tempo changes. The lead guitar solos on "Volcanic Miasma" fit perfectly into the mix, with the solo during the high-tempo part being Thrash Metal inspired while the solo during the mid-tempo part having Doom Metal elements. The song concludes with another cinematic sample.

"Strigoi" is a more than decent debut EP. It is a mix of Death and Thrash Metal with strong influences of classic bands of both genres. STRIGOI do not experiment with their sound, they stick to their heroes and offer an old school approach to Death/Thrash Metal. The sound is dominated by the guitars and especially the lead guitars have a huge impact on the EP. The production is raw and perhaps something that could be worked on in the future. If there is any complaint at all then the fact that STRIGOI only offer three songs. Here I would have hoped for something more. The band has surely potential for a full-length record. It will be interesting to see how STRIGOI develops in the future with further releases.