KRVNA – For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh
Release Date: 12th December 2022
Label: Third Eye Temple / Ancient Dead Productions
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal.
FFO: Dissection, Ellende.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
When some people think about black metal they picture figures clad in black, wearing corpse paint, bullet belts, and wandering ominously through a dense pine forest in the dead of winter. Maybe they think of a dude crab walking on a mountain (nothing but love for Abbath). No matter what imagery comes to mind, a certain set of countries tends to be associated with the genre. Krvna doesn’t fit the stereotype in this regard; the act hails from the land down under. Maybe some people are surprised by Australian black metalers, but should anyone really find it odd? If you lived in an area where a multitude of creatures could kill you, it might make for a dark sort of existence; death could well be hiding in the darkness of your shoe. In all seriousness, though For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh is a fine specimen of the best qualities of black metal but with an added depth that is most welcome. This sophomore album is a follow up to Krvna’s first work, Sempinfernus. Well received by fans and reviewers, it set the bar high for what was to follow. Does this live up to the standard of its predecessor? Absolutely.
Baleful yet melodic, there are moments which make this work stand out from other black metal acts. In particular the guitar work is dynamic; at times I thought about this being in the same vein as early Dissection in that regard.
Probably the highlight of this album for me was the drumming because the percussion on this is, to say the least, fucking phenomenal. It really goes beyond blast beats and drives this record into a whole different territory. As far as songwriting goes-there are some interesting transitions and structure to the tracks which took the sound beyond what I expected. General lyrical themes “…delve deeper into philosophical concepts surrounding existential dread, vampirism, immortality, and transubstantiation.” These themes further add to the depth of this work. The production on For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh is cleaner than maybe some people would prefer, but it allows the listener to hear little flourishes and other elements that would likely be drowned out if the recording was a bit grittier. Because of this I do believe Krvna’s work may appeal to a wider audience, but should still please folks who are looking for the beloved black metal sound they crave.
As we coast ever so quickly to the end of the year I think most would agree we have been gifted with some phenomenal releases in 2022. What did we do to deserve this vast amount of amazing music? Survive the current state of affairs worldwide apparently. For Thine is the Kingdom of the Flesh is sure to be in many people’s top 10 of the year and rightfully so. Krvna should be on everyone’s radar and I hope you allow this gem of an album to make your holidays a little less cheery and bright in the best possible way.
(4.5 / 5)
