Worldwide Metal: Moldova
In another edition of Worldwide Metal, I’m heading to eastern Europe to the country of Moldova. A country similar to the United States in freedom of speech and the freedom to information, the country is tucked away near the eastern region of the continent. A country that was close to the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine in recent years. But does the country have a thriving metal scene? What does the area pre & post Ukraine/Russia war inspire in the musicians of the area. Today, I am gonna look at a couple bands, and one band that has been blowing in popularity in the metalcore scene in recent years.
Our first band is grindcore act Abnormyndeffect. Vocalist Constantin Dimitrenco has an impressive voice that mimics or almost pays homage to legendary Napalm Death front man Barney Greenway in his delivery. Especially with a pretty impressive, goregrind level gurgle at some songs. Making their debut in 2008 with their album Betwin, the combination of brutal grindcore and politically charged lyrics truly encapsulates a harsh and brutal nature for the band and the region they are living in. Their most recent record, 2013’s Curtea supremă, amps up the intensity and sonic brutality. From it’s demo-like mix, to punishing drumming by Ștefan Babără, the band truly delivers a punishingly fast and brutal grindcore sound.
Next up, we just into the progressive waters with hints of black metal with the band Chordewa. Formed in 2002, the band would create a complex and beautiful hybrid, that at some points sounds like “if Dream Theater had black metal vocals” and it works so damn well. The production on the band’s sole album, 2014’s Recast Gear For The Mindcraft Course, truly conveys a huge scale production in the band’s musicianship and technicality. If you listen to the album’s first song, “Psyche in The Shell”, you will instantly be hooked at the sure scale of the band’s sound. Rivaling acts like Wintersun with their tenacity, talent, song structure and overall storytelling in the music and lyrics.
You can pick up the band’s album on their Bandcamp .
Our next band heads into the darkest part of black metal, the depressive suicidal black metal sound with the band Dying Raven. Formed in 2021, the sole member Igor Savcluc, truly takes the DSBM sound and really carries the torch in similar sounds to acts like Xasthur and Leviathan. Gritty, dark, ominous, evil and heavily distorted in that classic second wave of black metal production style, the band hits the nail on the proverbial coffin with the darkness in their sound and Savcluc’s vocals. The band is feverishly active, release four albums in 2023 alone. The band’s most recent record, The Rising Fire, came out at the beginning of January of this year and truly captures that snowy, harsh and cold environment the genre loves to take in. A must check out for fans of one man black metal bands, especially in the DSBM style of the genre.
Here you check out the band’s Spotify or Bandcamp.
Our last band, is probably one if not, the biggest band to come out of the country. That would be metalcore/modern metal act Infected Rain. Led by the sultry but ferocious lead singer Lena Scissorhands, the band fuses metalcore, nu metal, modern and alternative metal. Creating a unique hybrid of genres that fits anything on the Sirius XM Octane crowd, while also having elements that pleases the heavier crowd with moments of djent and screaming heavy metal. The band also plays around with the poppier side of metal, by adding synths and sing along choruses in a lot of their later albums. The band’s most recent record, Time, received a lot of favorable and positive reviews. Praising Scissorhands creative lyrical choices and in-depth lyrics, along with chug-heavy riffs throughout the album.
Here you can check out the band’s Spotify.
That’s gonna do it for my time visiting Moldova. Did you dig some of the bands I featured in this edition? Were there any bands you think other readers should check out? Let us know in our comments section. You can also let me know what country I should travel to next, so I can stamp my metal passport on my journey to discover Worldwide Metal.
