Behemoth
Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)

THE REVIEW

The Behemoth is a band that needs no introduction, active since 1991, they have managed to create (obviously together with other seminal bands such as Vader) a solid Polish scene by exploring extreme metal very thoroughly in a very personal way, initially offering a cold, atmospheric Black Metal before sharply turning towards an increasingly technical Death Metal.

This "Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic)" is nothing but their debut album, dated 1995, featuring exclusively raw and cold Black Metal as taught by the Norwegian school. It's crazy to think that such a CD was born in Poland, rather than the more canonical (for the time) Norway since the characteristic traits that distinguish this work are strictly Scandinavian. 

Thus, if listening to the first notes of "Chant of the Eastern Lands" feels like playing "In the Nightside Eclipse" by Emperor, the following tracks pleasantly echo with the sounds of Darkthrone ("From the Pagan Vastlands"), early Dimmu Borgir ("Hidden in a Fog"), and the major Norwegian bands in general.

The tracks flow by immersing the listener in a snowstorm, revealing themselves to be very strong and well-structured; never a drop in tone or a yawn, on the contrary, the melodies of each song strike very positively, always spot-on and never predictable or banal, skillfully blended with more fast-paced parts. The listening experience is also interspersed with short, very evocative instrumental pieces that fit perfectly among the gems that compose it. It should be noted, however, that the epic vein that will characterize the subsequent "Grom" is not yet as pronounced here, but it is definitely very influential.

Moving on to the production, it is, of course, very raw but in my opinion, there couldn’t be a better production for a work of this kind, capable of creating an atmosphere that gives you goosebumps. 

In essence, this is not just a debut album, but the first masterpiece of this incredible band, with many more to follow, laying the foundation for the subsequent CDs, at least until the Death Metal shift. All the songs are Black Metal classics and should all be remembered... however, songs like "From the Pagan Vastlands," "Hidden in a Fog," "Entering the Faustian Soul," and "Forgotten Cult of Aldaron" are really ahead!!

My advice to all Black Metal lovers is to buy this CD without a second thought, and you will see that you will not be disappointed at all!