Grey Heaven Fall (Russia): “Black Wisdom”

I will always be grateful to the god of black metal that gives us the opportunity to discover every day wonderful bands from around the world, like Grey Heaven Fall from Podolsk, Russia, a black metal trio formed in 2006. Black Wisdom is their second album and I feel safe saying that it is a gem. In the music of the Russian band the listener can hear echoes from throughout the history of black metal, Dissection in a certain melodiousness that pervades the album while some dissonances resemble Deathspell Omega. Grey Heaven Fall embody the typical complexity of modern black metal, but not only black metal; in “The Spirit of Oppression” you will find an almost doom section with painful melodies, while in the first part of “Tranquillity of the Possessed” you will be caught by some agonizing slow chords. The album ends beautifully with morbid clean chords that create an almost psychedelic atmosphere.
 
From a thematic point of view, the lyrics in Russian (but an English translation is provided) tap into the Christian religion to deal with some existential themes like death to show the desolating emptiness of existence and the absurdity of religion.
 
The other aspects of the album such as production and musicianship are also perfect. Everything on this album is studied in detail, which makes Black Wisdom all the more a masterpiece of modern black metal.
 
Notes:
Release date: 30 October 2015 on Aesthetics of Devastation. The author of the cover art is the Italian artist Sergio Padovani.
 
Personnel:
Pavel Drums
SS Bass
Arsago Guitars, Vocals
 
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com