Album Review; Divahar - Divarise

Released Via Sleazy Rider Records
Genre: Black Metal

Track Listing:

1. Shadows
2. Blindness
3. Call Of The Fire
4. Alien
5. Ravenstone
6. Into The Heights
7. Areakan
8. Insane Silence

Here we have a relatively solid and concise debut album from this Armenian all-female band. Through the eight tracks present here, there are enough mid paced riffs (mid paced for black metal), pompous symphonic arrangements and scattered grinding salvos to please fans of the genre. There is a paradox to be found in the album as there is ambition on show, but too often the songs themselves feel safe, rather than displaying the sinister venom that is present in the best black metal releases.

It is clear from ‘Shadows’ and the ominously grand first single ‘Alien’ that there is enough musical ability in the four-piece to pass the test, especially from the band’s vocalist Dev, but it’s puzzling to hear that even though keyboards and orchestration play a prominent role in shaping the sound of the band there isn’t much to be found in the way of dynamics from song to song. The decidedly off-kilter ‘Call Of The Fire’ is the most obvious exception to that statement, and the stand-out track on the album.

A treat for the black metal faithful is to be found on ‘Blindness’ in the form of a guest appearance from Mayhem vocalist Atilla Csihar, whose demented tones lift the song a step higher than it otherwise would have been. There’s not much else on here that could be described as special, although there is a hint of potential to be heard. If a future release is given a huge cinematic approach then Divahar could be onto something more worthwhile.

Rating: 5/10

Links: https://www.facebook.com/divaharband?fref=ts
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