Band:	Groza
Album:	Nadir
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	September 20, 2024
A review by:	AndyMetalFreak

01. Soul : Inert
02. Asbest
03. Dysthymian Dreams
04. Equal. Silent. Cold.
05. Deluge
06. Daffodils [feat. Michael Kogler and Matthias Sollak]

Groza have taken a step in a new direction, so you needn't refer to them as a Mgła shadow act from now on, hopefully.

Over the past decade or so, we've seen countless bands follow in the footsteps of the great Mgła, whose name seems to have dominated the black metal scene. Many of these bands are still trying to prove themselves as more than mere Mgła copycats. Germany's Groza are particularly known among these acts, not only for their style of music (which is often regarded as too close for comfort), but also for their mysterious hooded imagery, and musicians going by anonymous initials. You could say this is nothing unusual, as Uada, Gaerea, and Kanonenfieber also follow a similar trend, but unlike Groza, those bands don't share a name with the title of Mgła's full-length debut. However, things are about to change for Groza, as their third full-length release, Nadir, takes an unexpected turn in style. But how beneficial is this new approach, and what changes are made exactly?

After their formation in 2016, Groza released a reasonably solid full-length debut in Unified In Void, followed three years later by what I consider a vast improvement in The Redemptive End, but both efforts also seemed to lack innovation. Sticking with this approach would be the safe and obvious approach for many bands, but the masked trio have decided to pull away from the simple modern black metal route on latest effort Nadir, and introduced a new approach that combines post-metal and blackgaze elements with a more melodic and less traditional rendition of black metal; if you ask me, it's a step in the right direction.

"Soul : Inert" starts the album off gently with a slow-building acoustic melody that works as a short introduction for the main opening track "Asbest", a song which from the opening stages clearly indicates the softer route the band have opted to go down, in contrast to the Mgła-style modern black approach from their previous outputs. The guitar work throughout the song interweaves between light post-metal passages and blackened hypnotic tremolos that are rich in melody, but the riffs are not nearly as dark, ferocious, or repetitively structured as the band have previously put out; additionally, the drumming is presented in a more stylish manner, while the blast beats pound with less ferocity. There's a clear balance here between blackgaze, post-metal, and melodically-inclined black metal.

The following song "Dysthymian Dreams" is more of a step back towards the band's classic black metal style, starting off with some striking melodic hypnotic tremolos driven by a more furious rhythm section, but there's a rather lengthy mid-section that slows right down to a pedestrian tempo. Fuzzy spoken word echoes softly behind a tranquil acoustic melody, before gently building up in post-metal fashion, to then unleash the blackened fury that the song first began with. Despite the obvious post-metal and black-gaze elements, the band have clearly not abandoned their black metal roots altogether, and this is sustained going forward; the styles often merge together as one, creating a powerful and dynamic soundscape, releasing a near-perfect blend of desolate, tranquil beauty, and dark blackened fury. It's an emotional rollercoaster with twists and turns around every corner, one which has you hooked constantly.

The final two tracks are for me the two that stand out the most. Between the outstanding memorable tremolo riff, soft melancholic acoustic passages, agonizingly powerful blackened shrieks, and erupting desperate shouts, "Deluge" just hits that sweet emotional spot. "Daffodils" (which features J.J. & M.S. from Harakiri For The Sky) maintains a highly impressive passionate vocal performance as, accompanying the powerful harsh vocals, striking whispering chants are introduced behind gentle dreamy blackgaze instrumentation. The latter stages of this 10-minute closer are mostly hypnotic and repetitive in structure, but the tremolos have a certain melody that has you captivated throughout, and the powerful rhythm carries the song right through to its abrupt end.

For me, it seems the final song is named "Daffodils" for a reason, as this flower is often seen as a sign of new beginnings first making their presence felt at the turn of spring, the season that brings new life and hope. I believe this also reflects this new approach for Groza; it's a start of something new and special. No longer shall this band be seen as one that simply dwells in the shadow of Mgła; they're something more, and Nadir has proven that.