Marblebog is one of Hungary’s oldest black metal bands, whose activity spans for more than 2 decades. During this whole time, besides being very productive and creative music wise, (its discography is rich in full lengths, split albums or EPs), the band has also experienced a troubled existence, disbanding and reuniting several times over the years.
Initially started as a slow atmospheric black metal project with clear Burzum influences, Marblebog developed over the years into an entity with its own, distinct personality and style. Combining black metal with ambient and atmospheric elements, the music was basically an ode to nature, forests and (fullmoon) mysticism. The quality of the releases helped promote the band’s name, which soon became quite known in the local and international UG, as it was later reflected in the show the band performed in the US in 2009.
The Marblebog material I am about to review here – “Relinquished” – seems to be also the last under this name, as its mastermind GV has again decided to call it quits. The EP came out in September 2023, both as a stand alone digital release and as a split EP with another Hungarian band, Odvas. The tape came out as a limited edition of 100 copies, handled by the local label Fekete Terror Productions, a label whose maniac owner is 110% dedicated to the support of the Hungarian underground.
This EP continues on the same musical path as the “Tova” EP from 2022, with its atmospheric and sorrow infused black metal. Right from the start one can realize that despite being released in 2023, the 2 songs have an “archaic” feel to them, reminding of a period when black metal was perhaps simpler and less pretentious than it has become over the years. .
With a total duration of almost 19 minutes, “Relinquished” contains all the trademark elements Marblebog has used during its long existence: long, elaborate songs which alternate blast beats and piercing riffs with slow passages and haunting keyboards. The music is very basic and straight to the point, which helps you to instantly drown in its melancholy, something that I like very much. If listened carefully, “Relinquished” and “Mindgate” seem in fact to be just one long song, with different rhythm changes but with the same essence flowing right through it, making it a whole.
I see “Relinquished” as an introspective journey into discovering one’s self and I can even go as far as saying that this EP can also be the perfect companion (or soundtrack) to the solitude and isolation one needs when closing out on the outside world. If this will be indeed the last Marblebog release, then the band has chosen the perfect way out, with a very solid material to honor its log standing legacy.
The other side of this split belongs to a Hungarian band I have not heard of until now, called Odvas. Their EP is called “Orchestra of Bloodshot Dawn” and contains 3 very interesting songs which match perfectly Marblebog‘s atmosphere. These tracks contain a mixture of black/dark ambient, noise and a bit of drone, all combined in a very cohesive manner that puts you right away in a certain mood. The Odvas side, with its eerie sounds and space like-atmosphere complements perfectly the black metal oriented Marblebog side, thus creating a very interesting split.
While the first and last Odvas tracks are rougher and heavier, with a blackened voice and full instruments, the seconds one is atmospheric, like a trip through space and time. But together, these 3 songs converge in the end and seem to project haunting visions of chaos and disorder, from a time when there was nothing but impenetrable darkness. At least this is what this EP does for me, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it and uncover new, hidden layers.
On a closer look it turns out that Odvas has other releases under its belt besides this EP, so it would be wise to check them out as well, as they might reveal some other hidden gems.
I honestly say that the “Relinquished/Orchestra of Bloodshot Dawn” tape is one of the best split tapes I have ever laid my hands on. I totally recommend checking this release out, as this is indeed the perfect soundtrack for these long dark winter days.
Marblebog / Odvas tracklinsting:
1 Marblebog – Relinquished
2 Marblebog – Mindgate
1 Odvas – Orchestra of Mgerradyo
2 Odvas – Barangolás a Völgyben
3 Odvas – Awakening of the Bloodshot Dawn
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