IGNEA / ERSEDU - Bestia (EP)

IGNEA / ERSEDU

EP: Bestia

Genre: Symphonic (melodic) death metal

Release Date: October 21st, 2021

Country: Ukraine

Label: Self-released

Metal lyrics often draw inspiration from mythology, especially the Greek and Scandinavian. With their split record “Bestia”, the bands IGNEA and ERSEDU joined forces to dive with us into the nature of Ukrainian mythological creatures and the world’s duality, as “bestia” (Ukr. «бестія») means both - a savage beast as well as a mischievous person. The EP with five songs is out since October 21st, 2021 and comes along with a beautiful artwork, representing the different tales.

IGNEA open with „Bosorkun”, a mountain spirit with a kind but destructive nature, who wants to make friends with humans and trade his immortality for their world. You can hear his characteristics into their music, which offers a fest for melodeath fans with their high-energetic, yet varied playing, and reaches from a lovely breeze to a mind-blowing whirlwind. Helle Bogdanova can be a beast on vocals with her powerful growls, then switching easily to mesmerizing clean singing within a second.

Next up is Magura, a Slavic valkyrie who overshadows fallen soldiers with her wings and takes them to Vyriy, the heavenly palace for eternal life, by making them drink from a golden goblet. In „Magura’s Last Kiss“, she's fed up with wars and, to end all fightings, leaves to Vyriy herself. Starting with mystic whispers and moaning, the dark atmosphere is well transported through the pounding rhythmic and the brutality in the music, alternating with peaceful moments.

“Mermaids” is performed together by IGNEA and ERSEDU, telling us about Ukrainian mavkas (sirens) who can't find their place anywhere: neither on the shore nor in the waters. By melting the power of melodeath with symphonic and folk elements, they create a cinematic listening experience. Both singers come up with beautiful, melodic as well as angry, growled parts, and deliver my favorite track on “Bestia”.

Now, they head over to Zmiy, the Ukrainian dragon who could destroy land but also take away disasters from humans. In “Black Garden”, Zmiy seduces a girl with his black love and she accepts him, dissolving in his nature. The song is from ERSEDU and has a much darker vibe than the previous tracks with the focus on the heavier, more dissonant guitar work and the pummeling rhythmic. In the middle, they switch to a dreamy soundscape and light melody fitting to the story-line.

ERSEDU close with „The Eaters of the Sun“, a slow, sublime song with a mighty orchestration, and a great finale about finding balance, accepting light and darkness as parts of personality.

All-together, “Bestia” is a very felicitous cooperation by two talented bands, both knowing how to tell stories in an epic yet varied way, whether on their own or, like with “Mermaids”, together. It’s great how they weave the power of (melodic) death metal with folk elements, connect darkness and beauty in their music, and play with these contrasts. The selective use of Slavic language brings in something mystical that fits perfectly. Orchestral arrangements add a cinematic sound to the EP, and also can be heard as bonus track on the physical copies in pure form as “The Symphony of Bestia”. Crank it up, and dive into the fascinating Ukrainian mythology.

Written by Katha