Księżyc milczy luty, the latest effort by Poland’s Furia, is an excellent case study on how a black metal band can successfully experiment with different tones. The opening chords on “Za ?m?, w dym” let you know that you’re in for a very different ride than your standard black metal record, thanks to the industrial-esque bass tone and jazzy avant-garde chord progressions. There’s a palpable darkness throughout this record, though the music doesn’t always fall neatly into the black metal category, as the vocals range from shrieks and growls, to a deep, rumbly talking voice similar to Rammstein. The music is often melancholy, even when it’s in full on metal mode, sounding a bit like Mg?a, who have a similarly atmospheric approach to black metal.
The jarring, shimmery guitar chords on “Tam jest tu” have more in common with neofolk band Wovenhand than they do with Mayhem, which is a fairly prevalent theme throughout Ksi??yc milczy luty. Though there are plenty of furious black metal moments, this record comes across as more of a dark, apocalyptic folk album than anything else, and is truly a breath of fresh air. If you were to take Mg?a, Wovenhand, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and mix them in a blender, you’d get something like what Furia has to offer on this latest record. I highly recommend you check this one out, it’s a unique, and thoroughly rewarding listen for fans of extreme music in general.