Russian black metal band The Initiation started in 2015 and debuted with an EP in 2017. They brewed this, their debut full-length album for quite some time, and it was unleashed in 2020. This album is packed with loads of familiar tropes from four decades of this genre. It also ends up being good enough entertainment (and now I am waiting for something like this: "Entertainment? How can this be said about black metal!?!? - The Trvest of the trve BM fanatic").

The songs are more or less catchy and during these 41 minutes the band manage to show varying sides. It's Nordic and European black metal scenes from where The Initiation have gathered their influences. From noble to spiteful melodiousness, from mid-paced tempos to blast-beating, the album is performed heavy-handedly and with orc-ish vocalization, totally with savage energy and bestial groove. Mostly the whole is resentful, but often carrying melodic undertones. All the music came from Dispirited, which is quite surprising thinking how changeful it is.

Maybe it also is the biggest failing about this all: The band ends up being rather faceless, even if their crafting and implementation is potent. It is just that some parts here and there tend to drag on without real force and meaning. It was all arranged by three members, so it is evident that some of the building blocks were less sturdy. For example, I really do not feel those slower, more heavy metalish parts on 'His Wolves, His Hearts' fitting in like they should. It ends up being all just too jumpy. Then again, the pace fluctuation on 'To Bury All Life' works miracles, so it is the blocks, perhaps arranging them...

The drums sound thunderous, but everything else is still up there as well. The rhythm section brings in the welt that is truly felt, and really very warm and organic. On the contrary, the guitar tone is icy (so the BM tremolo sounds BM tremolo). The sound is clean, non-fuzzy and well-defined. The vocals are quite theatrical, reminding about Christ Agony (as well as some of the music does, actually); painful, tormented and distorted (not via an effect) shouting can be too much for some. The Initiation wage a war against Christianity with this album, lyrically.

'Misanthropic Litany' is a fiery and formidable piece of black metal without modern trappings, and the band differ from their cold and shrill ideological brothers. If looking for meatier-sounding black metal, then remember the name The Initiation.

Rating: 7 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
11/26/2022 20:52