No, Nergal has nothing to do with the lead singer of Polish black metal legends Behemoth. This Nergal is even better than that. There are certain regional scenes that grab my attention right away due to past experiences. Of course there is German thrash, Stockholm death metal, the Australian black/thrash/death metal bands. And then there is one that has yet to steer me wrong. That would be the Greek Hellenic black metal scene. This is where Nergal fits in. And as you will soon see, I went a bit nuts recently on this scene.
Nergal is not one of the more recognizable names in the Hellenic black metal scene. They are not nearly as well known as groups like Rotting Christ, Thou Art Lord, Kawir or Varathron, among others. But that does not mean they are not as impressive. This was my first exposure to Nergal and I was quite taken with it.
The music has an epic feel to it, common for the scene. It is filled with majestic, sweeping keyboard melodies and biting tremolo riffs. Nergal is capable of some truly dynamic passages, slowing things down before having a riff come crashing through to mix things up. Other times, they are fast and furious. Most of all, the album has an eerie, occult sound to it, as if to listen to it is to summon a demon.
I love the Hellenic black metal scene, and this album is a very good, if not quite classic, example of it. I am just getting started on a new look at the scene. The next few weeks will feature a number of Hellenic black metal releases. I am getting off on the right foot.
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