BadMoodMan Music/Solitude Productions, 2009

Chuzhaya Voina is the title of this Russians’ new offering. It is hard to judge a music that you don’t understand a single word of, as both the lyrics and the whole booklet is written entirely in their native Russian. In addition to this there’s no info sheet accompanying this release.

However, I can tell you that they’ve released a debut Through Eternity some years ago. As far as I can understand from majority of my fellow colleagues it was a killer debut. What I can tell you with certainty is that Chuzhaya Voina is a solid piece of doom/down-tempo metal and respectful follow-up, but with very little heavy influences. Some would call it simply boring; others might find it interesting, unique and even exotic. I guess I’m somewhere in the middle, as I miss more heavier tunes and moods, but the fact that they have decided to sing in Russian is a plus as it adds this mystery and diversity that most doom fans would appreciate. It is very melancholic and depressive record but with some very nice melodies and fine arrangement of ideas.

S.C.A.L.P. with Chuzhaya Voina show that they are capable of creating yet another release where they are not afraid to change their sound and try something new and ‘dangerous’. Meanwhile; I guess this record can be highly recommended only for die-hard doom metal fans. If this sounds interesting then visit:
www.myspace.com/scalpband