Vae Victis!

Containing some current and/or former members of other Polish acts such as Ohtar and Thor’s Hammer, Dark Fury show the aggression associated with their fellow countrymen on Vae Victis!, their first full-length offering available on Elegy records. Some aspects of this album, mainly the drums, remind me of Thunderbolt’s earlier material, particularly The Sons of the Darkness. For those who have not heard that particular release I’ll just say that bass drum blast beats are prominent, but are kept in the background as to not overpower the guitars or vocals. The guitars themselves are of the buzz-saw variety but still to portray a sense of melody, brought about by the use of short but catchy riffs. The vocals are the typical black metal rasp, which is what I personally prefer and they fit well with the music without be too overpowering or difficult to hear. Dark Fury is associated within prevalent Polish NSBM scene, although their political leanings shouldn’t deter any prospective listeners as Vae Victis! offers a respectable helping of no nonsense black metal.