EP REVIEW: Skotos – Dødsferd

Atmospheric black metallers DØDSFERD are making waves in the underground, particularly in their native Greece. The two-piece stepped up both their game and profile in 2018 with Diseased Remnants Of A Dying World and are looking to spreading the darkness of their extreme music further afield in the new decade. The first signs of this come from Skotos, a brand-new, two song EP released via Transcending Obscurity Records.

DØDSFERD are very much a band who like to take their black metal to more expansive realms – it’s not uncommon for tracks to break the ten-minute barrier on albums. As such, it’s a little surprising that the whole EP comes in under that; but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in quality. What Skotos does is two-fold: it gives previous fans their first hit of new music for three years to tie them over until the next big release, but it also gives those who haven’t been familiar with them the chance to dip their toes into the band without having to jump in at the deep end.

The first track, Skotadi (meaning ‘darkness’, like the EP title) flies out the gate with a barrage of cymbals, guitars and a piercing scream from vocalist Wrath. It is rather traditional in structure and sound – there’s certainly no reinventing of the black metal wheel – but its unrelenting delivery and seismic impact do enough to pull it through.

The second track Cursed To Die At First Light begins in a very similar vein – there’s no hint of build up or fade in, just an immediate blast of guttural vocals and raw musicianship painting a landscape as bleak as the chances of those who entered into King Minos‘ labyrinth and the home of the Minotaur to leave unscathed. The raw production, a staple of black metal recordings, works well to emphasise DØDSFERD‘s overall image and, as mentioned before, allows the listener to be introduced to the band in a way that gives them a well-rounded idea of what they’re like without being overwhelmed.

If you are into the sounds of TAAKE or NATTEFROST, have deferred from the beaten path to such bands as JUDAS ISCARIOT or BLACK FUNERAL, or even find yourself preferring the earlier music of SVALBARD, then DØDSFERD are definitely one to check out. This might only be a taster of what they are usually producing, but it’s filled with enough flavour to make listeners want to sample more.

Rating: 7/10

Skotos is out now via Transcending Obscurity Records.

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