Penthos – Erevos

Released a couple of months ago (CD, vinyl, and cassette formats) through Darkness Shall Rise Productions, Erevos is highly anticipated new album, and second overall, by a Greek black metal horde Penthos. Erevos contains almost 40 minutes of traditional and primitive black metal with following tracklist:

1. Nekyia

2. Dancing Dead

3. Bloodstained Path

4. Όλεθρος (Olethros)

5. Thanatos

6. Charon

7. Lady in black (Witch ll)

8. Echoes of the Sanatorium

9. Forlorn Voyage

The album’s pacing is exemplary as it never gets boring or repetitive, while ensuring that each track feels necessary rather than like filler. Thus, the five members; Apaisios (vocals), Zizka (bass), Algos (drums), Vauban (guitars) and Skele (guitars) have created nine powerful tunes where each of the nine tracks flow with an almost ritualistic precision. Erevos is not a concept album, but it definitely feels natural, coherent and cohesive piece of finest black metal art.

Apart from the beautiful and very professionally created cover artwork, the first thing notable, and worthy of attention, on this sophomore full-length from this Athens-based quintet is its sound, created in its purest form, more rooted in the Scandinavian sound than the Hellenic one. Every song features some memorable and catchy riffs, dynamic song structures, genuine hooks, precise drumming and

Lyrical themes on Erevos are exploring Greek mythology, inner quests, human helplessness & despair, fitting their band moniker (Penthos means grief/sadness in Greek!). All the nine tracks are equally stunning and essential to the overall result, but if I’m to pick my favorites then I’ll briefly mention; fourth track “Όλεθρος (Olethros)” a song about ruin/destruction, fitting the album’s dark, mythological theme focusing on the underworld, while blending fast and melancholic riffs with atmospheric and sometimes slower passages. Then a six-minute instrumental piece called “Charon”, a track of absolute darkness and chaos. Finally, we have this magnificent closing “Forlorn Voyage” which concludes the album with an interplay between massive walls of sound and melodic flourishes.

The production is traditional, professional, without being too much polished and clean – again pretty much in the vein of traditional black metal acts from the 90s.

An overall verdict is that Erevos is a successful sophomore album for Penthos, and a strong and authentic addition to the genre, even surpassing their debut with delivering a strong, authentic black metal experience.

Erevos is atmospheric without being pretentious, brutal and traditional, yet compelling and immersive listening experience. It might not be the most innovative or radically revolutionizing piece of black metal, but it’s still an easy recommendation, especially if you’re worshipper of the likes of early Darkthrone, Marduk, Horna, Mayhem, Sargeist, Legion of Doom, but also to all fans of the traditional, raw, convincing ‘doomish’ black metal sound.

For additional information on this sophomore nine-tracker ritualistic journey from Penthos visit their bandcamp.