Moloch Letalis is a band formed in 2003 under the name of Moloch and have so far been under my radar completely, now that the name has changed and the album Apoteoza Smierci is unleashed upon my sanity. Moloch Letalis is a band into fast black metal with some death metal elements thrown in for a good measure. The album lyrics are completely in Polish and since I am a humble Scandinavian I will lose a lot on the vocals which promised to deliver eight dark anthems of diabolical worship and all things evil.
The title song that translates into Apotheosis Of Death starts with a slow introduction with drums and a shrieking guitar that evolves into a barrage of drumming, growls and monotonous guitar riffs. This evocation continuous for most of the song and it really never grows on me until the faster midsection kicks in with a rumble that dies almost as fast as it awakens. Chrześcijan stos on the other hand is a storm of tight riffs, rumbling drums and a sinister bass that accompany the growling while the atmosphere grows dark. From the slow and continuous sensation of the midsection the song later returns to its former glory with fast and catchy riffs that bleeds from the speakers. Zgniły kult życia, Żądza własnej Krwi and Triumf śmierci continuous in the fast and unrelenting footsteps of the album and delivers tight and mutating riffs that combines well with slower more brooding midsections. It is harsh and refreshing in parts while it sometimes borders to being quite dull and uninspiring. When the album reaches Z bluźnierstwa i gwałtu the sensation I get is not far from one of uncertainty. The album remains strong and potent yet never really peaks and it is a many headed monstrosity with as many good things going for it as it has flaws. The album ends with Plugastwo which is an intriguing song with an extremely catchy bass that flows throughout the song creating a sinister atmosphere. The last song is in my opinion the strongest of the whole album and ends with the doom laden sound of bells tolling in the distance.
Since I have only good feelings for the eastern bloc it might not come as a surprise that I actually like Apoteoza Smierci. It is a strong album that could do with some more polish and a bit more variation in its composition. However it delivers black metal of a potent and archaic sort that grows on you with each listen. In the end I would recommend this album if the listener has a weak spot for polish black metal of the diabolical sort. Apoteoza Smierci is a strong addition to the growing polish black metal scene and I hope to hear more from Moloch Letalis in the future.
Rating: 3/5
Written by: Skarsnik
Label: Old Temple / Format: CD / Cat. # OLD 46
Tracklisting:
01. Apoteoza śmierci
02. Chrześcijan stos
03. Zgniły kult życia
04. Żądza własnej Krwi
05. Triumf śmierci
06. X wieków upodlenia
07. Z bluźnierstwa i gwałtu
08. Plugastwo
