Sarmat - 2021 - RS-28

(33:28; Sarmat)

Track list:
1. Coldgrinder 3:19
2. Evilution 5:43
3. The Shining of Oneiros 4:11
4. RS-28 3:52
5. Seeds of Uncertainty 3:32
6. You Don't Live in My War 5:39
7. Blackout (Scenario for Tomorrow) part I 3:33
8. Blackout (Scenario for Tomorrow) part II 3:42

Line-up:
Daniel Szymanowicz - guitars, keyboards, bass
Krzysztof Kopczenski - guitars
Lukasz Kobusinski - vocals
Krzysztof Klingbein - drums


Polish band Sarmat was formed back in 2018, with their line-up solidifying a few years later according to the information present on the metal archives website at least. "RS-28" is the name of their debut album, which was self released in the spring of 2021.

Extreme metal is the style explored by this band, and they have chosen to go for a fairly expressive variety of the form. They have one feature that is persistent throughout this album that for some will be a hit or a miss factor, in that the drum patterns tend to be busy and of the machine gun variety, while the rest of the content here comes with a bit more finesse attached.

The guitars tend to be used in fluctuating patterns, emphasizing a persistent movement in the songs, but especially in the slower paced sections we will get a bit more chugging and impact riff oriented passages too and also some quirky and slightly off kilter details here and there that gave me associations to the arguably more avant leanings of for instance Norwegian band Virus. Srmat use such impulses in a much more subdued and careful manner though, and doesn't ever stretch into avant territories as such, but there is a slight bit of flavoring at times. The harmony overlays are well made and expressive in nature too, and besides a few instances of clean soloing and some fine, rich sounding harmony overlays we also get a sweet case of dark toned impact harmonics in use, which is always a welcome addition to more powerful metal escapades when executed in a proper manner.

The compositions, while having some gentler and more careful passages and interludes here and there, do tend to stay put in a tight and very solid sounding context, and the gritty, harsh vocals emphasize this aspect of the music quite nicely indeed. The style of delivery one I'd describe as harsh rather than growling as such, but if this is a style that fits the premises of the latter of these it is executed in a more inviting manner than what is customary in my opinion at least. We do get occasional moments of vocals with a more twisted, evil sounding mode of delivery too, but not to the extent that I'd describe it as a dominant or even vital feature.  

While this album may not be the one that stretch any boundaries in the metal department, it is an album that I do find to be very well executed and delivered with a bit of dark polish and a tight and solid panache. A tight, solid and also expressive variety of extreme metal, with a liberal amount of harmony and melody elements present and a slight, subtle bit of avant sensibilities expanding the confines of the landscapes explored. An album to explore by those who do enjoy their extreme metal to be on the more expressive and adventurous side of things while also maintaining momentum, power and aggression.

Olav M. Björnsen, August 2022

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/sarmat7v7