SVAR - Under a Sky Full of Thunder (Review)


Svar is a one-person black metal project founded in 2020 in Krakow by Kamil Bolesta, who is responsible for guitar, bass, and vocals as well as for mixing and mastering the EP. In 2021 he released his debut EP “Behind the Veil”, and right now is preparing to release a new record - an EP titled “Under a Sky Full of Thunder”.

As commented by Bolesta for the record: “It is a concept mini-album focused on the Slavic god of thunder - Perun and Slavic beliefs about lightning. The EP consists of 4 tracks, where the last one is instrumental. Each song tells a separate story related to the aforementioned theme.”



Under a Sky Full of Thunder” kicks off furiously with an impressively quick pace and solid, well-structured riffing straight out of the top drawer. “Downfall” showcases tremolo riffs with melodic passages, accompanied by fast drums. The vocals are lows, almost in the style of death metal growls. Halfway through the track, the song turns darker and descends into chaos with blistering passages. “Luminous, Lethal Force” is an interesting case to dissect. It provides an opportunity for Bolesta to display a thrashy side blended along with the black metal riffs. It almost shapeshifts in moments to switch to showcase melodic passages in the chorus, with impeccable blast beats on top.


Sanctified by the Lightning” begins off with a clean intro, straight-up giving traditional BM vibes, which is followed up by tremolo and suspended riffs and superb drumming beneath it. With a lot of guitar layers blended in, the track has an ethereal and majestic quality to it - a mysticism exists within which can just be felt. “Under A Sky Full of Thunder” is the instrumental track of the album. Filled with great dissonance riffs, the guitar melodies lead us on the voyage, filled with moments of despair and melancholy throughout the way. I love how the bass gets to shine in moments.



Kamil Bolesta shows incredible musicianship on the record and crafts a coherent piece of art. Also, it is an incredibly well-produced affair. I am in love with the drums of the album - swift, aggressive and fast. Also, the guitars are so tight and well recorded, together it fits perfectly. Aided by good songwriting, the record manages to keep your attention for the entire run-time and does not feel overwhelming for a moment. The EP has its moments of epicness ranging from vocal performances to some insanely crafted instrumental passages. Also, did I mention each song is aided by a well-crafted guitar solo? What more do you want! As a guy who is often skeptical of BM records,
SVAR did not disappoint me a bit, and surely “Under a Sky Full of Thunder” is an incredible record that deserves more listeners and lovers.



Rating: 4.0/5.0

Website: https://www.facebook.com/svarkvlt/

Genre: Black Metal

Label: Independent

Worldwide Release: July 6th, 2022.



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