A Dark Folk/Atmospheric Black Metal band from Russia. July 8th, 2023, Meschera independently released their debut studio album, Zhatva, which includes ten dark and blackened ritualistic songs, that would gratify fans of Heilung and Withered Land.
Introduction:
Meschera, Zhatva: This review will evaluate every aspect of the album, from its intricate musical composition to its production. Our analysis will provide valuable insights to help you determine if this album is worth adding to your collection.
Let’s start by discussing the first three sins of Meschera and their Zhatva album.
The First Sin, The Strings/Keys: Features fog of heavy blackened metal riffs with rhythmic and mystical hook sections and ethnic folk instruments. The Second Sin, The Vocals: Involves extreme and enchanting (at times whispering)/ritual-clean vocals. The Third Sin—The Percussions: delves into the vast world of galloping drumming with various fills and beats that alternate with enchanting/ritual beats.
The Fourth Sin: Overall Discussion: Ritual summoning of dark, atmospheric and magical music
Immediately presses the play button and is engulfed in the mesmerising sounds of the opening piece, чёрный туман. The initial track is a breathtaking manifestation of dark folk with ethnic folk instruments and a touch of black metal atmosphere, which are a powerful introduction to the listener’s journey.
As one delves deeper into the second track of the album, titled жатва, and further explores the remaining eight pieces, the listener is transported to the primordially wild territories of forests and rivers. Here the history of many peoples was made. We are all part of this history; this blood flows in all of us… The winter cold cannot stop the burning hearts when revenge and pain beat in us … fights so as not to cool down with this coniferous forest and become a part of it … Not today.
Zhatva is a unique and awe-inspiring fusion of black/metal and folk music, a testament to the band’s artistry. With ten intricately composed and engaging songs, this musical fruit of art presents a grandiose and epic sound that is progressive, ritualistic, magical, dark, heavy, and powerful.
Combining and creating a rich, intricate, magical, beautiful sound is a delight. The instrumental and vocal artists incorporate intricate blackened metal riffs with rhythmic sections, galloping drumming with various fills and beats that alternate with enchanting/ritual beats, and ethnic folk instruments. The use of extreme and beautiful (at times whispering)/ritual-clean vocal work adds to the album’s overall appeal.
Zhatva features outstanding devilmanship in terms of instrumental and vocal skills and songwriting abilities. Various metal and folk instruments are expertly woven together to create something truly exceptional without crossing the line into being excessive.
If you are a devoted listener of black/metal and folk music, then you cannot afford to miss Meschera. Zhatva is a genuine fruit of art that exemplifies both intricacy and elegance, leaving an indelible emotional impression on anyone experiencing it. Each song seamlessly amalgamates epic, stunning, and intense musical elements, offering many exciting moments. Sidorova‘s emotionally charged vocals are particularly noteworthy, evoking a profound sense of emotion and sending shivers down the spine. Overall, Meschera is an incredible musical odyssey that should not be overlooked.
The album comes to an end with the last song, Тьмою Седых Ночей. We want to give a shoutout to Meschera for letting us review their Zhatva album. Now, we’re going to wrap it up by talking about the final three sins and concluding the review.
You’re Listening to “Жатва”
PlayThe Last Three Sins
Let’s discuss the last three sins, our thoughts on Meschera and their Zhatva album.
The Fifth Sin, The Memorabilia: Is that for us, we were blown away by its perfect combination of extreme metal and dark folk elements. The entire piece was masterfully crafted, with exceptional production, sound quality, musical arrangement, and lyricism that all came together to create a truly stunning work of art. Even the introduction of the folk instrumentals was timed to perfection, beautifully blending into the overall sound and adding an extra layer of depth and richness to the piece.
However, what stood out to me were Sidorova‘s fruit of art vocals, which exuded a powerful and emotive quality that entirely elevated the dark screams to another level.
Meschera is a genuinely remarkable fruit of art that perfectly showcases its makers’ incredible talent and creativity.
The Sixth Sin, The Artwork:
The remarkable artwork showcases a dark, epic aesthetic with strong pagan and ritualistic influences. It beautifully captures the essence of the music and adds an extra layer of depth to the overall experience.
The Seventh Sin, Disrelish:
Nothing to disrelish within the musical spectrum of Meschera, and their album Zhatva.
This concludes the Meschera, Zhatva review.
Track-Listing:
- Чёрный Туман
- Жатва
- Вечность Белых Январей
- Зимним Хладом
- Взор Безликих
- Страж Сосновых Чащоб
- Мещера
- Сказки Чёрных Лесов
- В Неведомых Топях
- Тьмою Седых Ночей
Meschera is:
- Alexandra Sidorova – extreme & clean vocals, lyrics
- Dmitry Kokarev -composer/multi-instrumentalist, clean vocals, growling, lyrics, recording
- Maxim Ayupov – bass
- Svyatoslav Krekov – drum, cover concept and layout design
