Ukraine seems to have something that makes the bands from that country sound in a way extremely different from the usual. Ukrainian bands always keep the spirit of the genres, but make music in a way that isn't conventional, like they can rewrite the rules (the main way to be recognized in Metal).  And with the veteran ZGARD thinks are in this way, as can be heard on "Place of Power", the band's latest release.

A form of Pagan Black Metal is what the band offers to the listeners, filled with charming melancholic ambiences created by the keyboards parts. It can remind you of the early Black Metal age of BURZUM sometimes (due the tunes of shrieks used by the vocals), but enhanced with Pagan influences. But it's filled with a crude energetic approach and some somber and melancholic melodies. It's truly very good. The sonority of "Place of Power" is what some Old School Black Metal fans want from an album: a crude and nasty approach, with that organic and filthy feeling from the old times. But it doesn't mean that the listener can't understand what is being played; it's just filthy as the early sonorities of the 90's, but in a defined way.

The band's musical work is really very good, but for a first time on it, "Trap of Cold" (with charming orchestrations and melancholic melodies entangled with nasty shrieks), "Old Ruins" (excellent slow and climatic parts, with nasty guitar riffs and Pagan keyboards' parts), "Ascension Fog" (another song with a slow and climatic insight, with good rhythmic contrasts created by bass guitar and drums), "Place of Power" (that bears some of Hardcore nasty touches in the middle of Pagan Black Metal insight, with great shrieks) and "Last Harvest" are the best ones. But all the songs are great moments for Black Metal and extreme Metal fans.

ZGARD is another very good name from the Ukrainian Metal scene, so take the time to enjoy "Place of Power" as it deserves.