Pime - Avanemine
Estonia
Self-released (bandcamp)
Pime is yet another solid entry from Estonia – this time a quartet featuring members from black/death squadron, Süngehel. The EP in question, “Avanemine,” was self-released by the band and is basically a re-recording of their first demo from 2010.
Now I haven’t heard that demo, but I guess the band deemed it necessary to revitalize the material (maybe as a promo?) All I can say is their sound is quite antithetical compared to the other bands the members play in. It’s a familiar style of melodic black metal that brings to mind bands such as Taake, The Stone, and MGLA, but not in a shamelessly rip-off sense. The music is certainly quite refined, yet rich in atmosphere, and features a plethora of razor-sharp, epic riffs that will make you envision standing on a mountain somewhere enraptured by the elements of nature. Scandinavian sensibilities are all too prevalent, but elements of uniqueness do shine through. I’m particularly fond of the more sombre segments, which blend in well with the atmosphere. There’s no doubt about the quality of this output – the execution is tight, well-produced, dark, melancholic, and emphatically merciless.
Overall, I find the band to be an interesting prospect, even though there’s much room for improvement, as this is merely a demo that’s been re-recorded and invigorated with honed musicianship. A solid representation of some well-played dark metal madness from Estonia. Favourite track: Olen Jääs (HT)