Band: BLACK HEARTS
Country: Russia
Title: Anthology
Label: Wings Of Destruction
Year: 2020
Style: Epic Heavy Metal

Review:
This one has more of a sentimental value for the label and the Metal fans based in Velikiye Luki, Russia, than real value for the genre within Russia. This compilation features the band's 2 full-length albums from 2004, and a rehearsal demo from 2003 in a total of almost 80 minutes, so I guess the Anthology label on it is spot on. The production is pretty bad here, especially on the second album, In fire, where the band ventures on Pagan Metal grounds by using Black Metal shrieks beside the clean vocals, and that seems to be the worst decision for the band on this album, as together with a very thin production on drums (they sound like one would use his Kitchen dishes instead of real drums) they make a duo that destroys everything else the band composed on this album. To tell you the truth I couldn't listen to all tracks featured on this album and skipped to the demo which surprisingly has a way more accessible and acceptable sound production that this album. The shrieks do not appear on the demo and the other album, Hyperborea, and probably that's how the band used to sound until the second part of 2004 when they decided to switch to more aggressive territories, yet with a surprising move of adding a female vocalist as well. Anyway, the good thing about their music is the complex guitar and bass work, melodic, epic, catchy Heavy Metal craft seriously influenced by Iron Maiden, that I guess led the band to a cult status within the local scene in those years (from 97 to I guess 2008). The booklet features the story of the band but unfortunately focused on persons and dates rather than interesting facts, and also there's no mention of the band's demise, the last paragraph only mentions the band's work for a tentative upcoming album that was never released; it's cool the band/label decided to publish the booklet texts in both Russian and English though. All in all we're treated here with the history of a band that never made it big, but meant something for the local scene, so why not giving it a chance?
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -/10

Contact:
wingsofdestruction.bandcamp.com