Void (The Divine Abortion)

Looks like Drakkar Productions are a bit tired, producing such irrelevant works. However, Vrolok are not tired at all, and their stuff just keeps oozing. Until now, Vrolok have done sorta mixed bag in their recordings: hollow Darkthrone worship, depressive ambient black metal, and their Soul Amputation seemed rather unfinished, sometimes avoiding casual black metal soundings (closer to ambient/gothic stuff).

It is amazing how close their latest album does sound to Bethlehem's Dictius Te Necare. Some may think that the guys from Bethlehem took the Book Of Lies and Luciferian theories to read and get a better nap. Though, they really got fond of these and recorded an album under Vrolok's name. Actually, this is best described as touching middle-ground between Belenos' Notre Amour Eternel and Bethlehem's Dictius Te Necare (although one might also find traces of Sick, which would not be a wonder since one of Vrolok's members played in that band). The melodies on this album are played with an almost religious feeling. The introduction, consisting of a muffled ritualistic rhythm and low noises, sets a morose atmosphere.
The title track plods along at mid-tempo, with a riff highly reminiscent of Sick, and it has a really odd moment when the drummer ventures into a complex drum pattern (I guess it's the one that Immolation used on Those Left Behind from Dawn Of Possession). The main effect that the band obtained through the use of more unusual patterns (as found in the title track and Grey) was that they sounded damn contrived. I was highly appreciative towards Deathspell Omega's Fas, considering that unique drumming has been supplemented by unique riff patterns. In Vrolok's case, we have mere lazy-ass melodies (because of the monotonous, depressive riffing), lazy-ass drums, and moments during which we have another band, thanks to the unexpected drum sequences. The thing to piss me off the most is that these guys seem trying to get credit for their drumming and resting at the melodic part, playing rehashed patterns. The tone is not as stinging as Dictius Te Necare's, coming closer to Belenos' fuzzed-out tone, too bad that they do not possess the stamina of that band's members.

Just like in Dictius Te Necare, we have those weird-ass guitars and feedbacking noise tricks. Reminiscences of Belenos' aforementioned work lie in the chants, which are pretty competent at setting the mood. The vocals seem to be more peculiar and soulful than in Vrolok's previous works, where they were getting shrill very quickly.

However, despite the competent drumming and well-placed vocals, the arrangements as a whole lack something, mostly because of the lifeless melodies. You might want this only to get in a bleak mood. It might do the trick. That does not mean it is a worthy album. Guess this is the result of some promising talents tied poorly by the overall concept.

(By the way, speaking of concept... "Divine abortion"? They must have listened to Marilyn Manson singing "Mother Mary miscarry..." on the first song of Mechanical Animals).