(Andy Synn embraces the pain with the new album from Russian riffmongers Minuala)
One thing you may have noticed about us here at NCS is that we are loyal (sometimes to a fault).
Once we find a band we like (which, you may have noticed, happens a lot) we try to keep abreast of everything they do and, where possible, write at least a little something about whatever they release.
Of course, with so much music coming out all the time, and so much else going on in our lives, it’s still easy for us to miss stuff – for example, I only managed to give Minuala‘s previous album a passing mention in my year-end round-up (though you can read all about their first four full-lengths here) – but we try our best to stay on top of things, which is why I was so excited to see В Агонии suddenly pop up out of nowhere last week.
For those of you who haven’t been following the band as closely as we have, while Minuala‘s earlier albums sat somewhere between the more “blackened” end of the Crust/Hardcore spectrum (comparable to Martyrdöd or Iskra) and the rawer, punkier side of Metalcore (think early Darkest Hour and/or Heaven Shall Burn) over the years their sound has drifted – quite organically, it must be said – towards a gnarlier, gloomier, and more Post-Metal inspired sound closer in spirit to the likes of Downfall of Gaia and Fall of Efrafa (RIP).
And it’s the former group to whom much of В Агонии will likely (and rightly) draw the most comparisons, as Minuala certainly share some distinct stylistic similarities with their German cousins these days – something which definitely shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s heard 2022’s Минута до смерти, which saw Minuala frequently favouring a more atmosphere-heavy (and I do mean heavy, in all senses of the word) approach that certainly wouldn’t have sounded all that out of place on Ethic of Radical Finitude or last year’s excellent Silhouettes of Disgust.
That being said, there are also clear differences between the two artists, especially when it comes to Minuala‘s knack for cutting through the gloom with some seriously sharp and cruelly catchy guitar hooks, with tracks like the bleak, blast-driven “Исход” and the tremolo-laced torrent of “Путь В Неизвестность” demonstrating an almost Melodeath-like love of searing melody, somewhere between Dödsrit and Light This City, bolstered by a prominent low-end rumble and some extremely effective, atmosphere-enhancing ambient aesthetics.
It’s the more ambitious incorporation of these latter elements – most notably the inclusion of some instantly-arresting, moodily mesmerising clean-sung female vocals during early highlights “Дух лес” and “Место Веры” (both of which strike an absolutely brilliant balance between the more aggressive and more introspective sides of the band’s expansive, expressive sound), which also play an important role in elevating the cinematic, synth-imbued intensity of “Гроза” – that really shows you how far the band have come, and how much they’ve evolved… not just since their last album, but since the very beginning of the career.
Sure, there’s an argument to be made that В Агонии is perhaps a little bit front-loaded, but I’d counter that by stating that there’s just as much depth to the second half of the record – especially during the absolutely massive riffs and booming bass-lines of pre-penultimate powerhouse “Онего” and the cathartic slow-burn of climactic closer “Заснеженная Даль”, both of which make full use of the band’s hard-earned, and well-learned, grasp of dynamic and flow to sound far bigger, and far bolder, than their relatively succinct run-times – even if it’s not as immediately apparent.
In fact, I’d go so far to say that it’s this greater sense of depth – more depth to their songwriting (which increases the compelling contrast between the most morose and atmospheric aspects of their identity and their ferocious metallic intensity) , more depth to their sound (the brooding bass tone and sombre synth textures both adding to the album’s overall mystique), and more depth to their artistic ambitions – which makes В Агонии perhaps the richest and most rewarding… and, quite possibly, best… record of the band’s career to date.
And, hey, even if you don’t end up agreeing with me on that, Minuala have five other albums prior to this one for you to listen to… so now is the perfect time to get onboard and stop sleeping on these guys!