Stark Denial (review by MMB)

Stark Denial

Covenant of Black

release date: March 25th, 2018

label: Transcending Obscurity India

It is heartening to see the traditional black metal squad Stark Denial finally have its debut album. I say “finally” because the Indian group is no novices to the world of the music business, but when your band is not known very well internationally and perhaps not even nationally, it might seem reasonable to surrender if things are not going well for years. Things have not always gone very well for them, but here they are with their debut full-length album in 2018, which is remarkable, if we are to believe that Metal Archives is correct, which says that the band began in 2009. Are we talking about some eight or nine years to release the first album? Only Stark Denial has lived the details of the winding road travelled to get here in 2018.

Metal Archives shows that back in 2013 they had a four-song recording named War. If you go back and open the pages of said work, you will hear an already serious interpretation of black metal, including a cover of Marduk’s “Panzer Division Marduk,” showing the group’s dark passions for the arts of black metal.

That was back in 2013, but in 2018 Stark Denial has signed its name with a serious work of occult extreme metal: abrasive, corrosive vocals; classic-style guitar tone and riffs; a thundering, blasting rhythm section; and a tight production.

Besides being a fantastic lesson in perseverance, the album offers much to the black metal fanatic looking for a direct, loyal interpretation of the classics of the genre. You will know immediately that they are serious about black metal, and about the sound quality of the album. You will also know that it is not an inexperienced band trying to find itself. They found themselves years ago in black metal.

This music is especially made for black metal fanatics of the traditionalist kind that want songs that are understandable as compositions, with real riffs, with guitar melodies. Stark Denial sends out the call for black metal traditionalists to celebrate the music of the dark side.

Consider yourself invited.

starkdenialbm.bandcamp.com