Bölzer - Soma

BOLZER - Soma (INVICTUS - LP 2014)

One of the death metal sensations of past two years, Bölzer, came back in August 2014 with their newest release. Those, who had hopes for a full length release shall be disappointed, as “Soma” is another EP in the discography of the Swiss band… but who really cares what material it is, when the music is again so damn mesmerizing, so crushing and infectious? I surely don’t. I am just happy that I managed to get the vinyl so quickly this time and didn’t have to wait for the third pressing, as I did with “Aura” – what was actually my fault, as in the beginning I completely ignored Bölzer, but finally decided to check what is all the fuzz about and is this new band really so damn good like everyone says? My impressions on “Aura” you’ll find in another review, here it’s time for “Soma”!

The formula for “Soma” is pretty much the same as for “Aura” and in every aspect this new EP is a rightful continuation of the predecessor. It follows it in every aspect; starting with the characteristic artwork, then going through the production and finishing with the music, which keeps all these characteristic ingredients, all these details, which made “Aura” sounding so spectacular. Yes, Bölzer did come up with something quite new, refreshing and unique in the style of extreme metal, where they blended the death and black metal with very epic, monumental feeling and that heathen and ritualistic atmosphere which adds a special flavour to the whole. Bölzer is often compared to bands like Necros Christos, Mitochondrion, Malthusian and Grave Miasma… but at the same time they are just different than all of them. Great creativity, awesome ideas and performance and that incredible feeling which this duo has, when they hypnotize with their riffs… this is something extraordinary.

This is very atmospheric music. It is aggressive as well, sure, but mainly I think it is about creating this special feeling. You can play “Aura” and then “Soma” one after another and have sort of continuity (I personally can’t even decide which of these two EPs I like more!). “Soma” contains only two songs and the first one “Steppes” is very much like the songs from side A of “Aura”. What I don’t like about this song is that it ends so quickly, so abruptly hehe! But the next one “Labyrinthian Graves” will make it up for all, as it is a twelve minute long monolith, a great and massive, powerful motherfucker, epic and thunderous, monumental and heathen. In both songs I just love the riffs or KzR’s savage vocals, which are more croaky than on “Aura”… All in all, “Soma” is truly an impressive recording and damn, Bölzer wins again. Time for a full length album now. “Bow shall I not!”

Final rate: 90/100