The greek duo Zaratus is back.
After a first EP in 2019, year of the band’s creation, Stefan Necroabyssious (vocals, Varathron, Katavasia, Funeral Storm, ex-Kawir) and Bill El (all instruments, Soulskinner, Thou Art Lord, ex-Terra Tenebrae) release In The Days Of Whore, their first full-length.
Greek Black Metal has a very specific sound, and each band has its own identity inside of this universe. Zaratus is no exception, and we discover it with the dark and melancholic Ceremonies Before Light’s Existence. The singer’s howlings add a part of aggressiveness to gruesome haunting influences, dyed with strange and intriguing sounds. Mystical tones continue on Darkness And Decay an Old School and more brutal song than the previous one. Blast, fast riffs and scary screams meet more majestic and softer parts, like on In The Days Of Whore. The song may be dark, some kind of harrowing beauty can be feel in those piercing riffs and those frightening gruntings. We also find some more traditional percussions, as well as an unhealthy ambience, like inside of The Haunted Palace. Oppression is bigger and more intense, while riffs rev up without losing this increasing blackness until it explodes during sharp melodies with epic influences. We feel again some kind of weighing languor for Chaos And Blood, a slow and majestic but raw song which picks to Classical roots, while Heritage On Fire is a way more direct and epic song. Once again, this aged sound is hooking, and makes us sink into the heart of old myths before a transcending final. The last song, Zoroastrian Priests, is also the longest one, and offers us an introduction between mysticism, dark folklore and anguish, before introducing frightening grunts then the lasts riffs of this album, contributing to the song’s oppressive chaos.
Zaratus’ identity lies between mysticism, dark melodies and harrowing gruntings. In The Days Of Whore is a very rich album that will probably not please to modern sounds fans, but it is a real gem for gruesome Old School tones lovers.
80/100