The term "blackened death metal" has been used to describe death metal bands that have a black metal influence, but there are also extreme metal bands that play what some headbangers have characterized as "deathened black metal." In other words, they are black metal bands with a death metal influence; Eastern Front's debut album,
Blood on Snow, is a good example of the "blackened death metal" aesthetic. Black metal is the dominant ingredient on this 2010 recording; the U.K.-based Eastern Front are a black metal band first and foremost, but
Blood on Snow does incorporate some death metal-ish guitar riffs, as well as some death metal-ish Cookie Monster vocals. While lead singer
Nagant usually favors an abrasive black metal rasp, he also includes his share of guttural Cookie Monster growling, and unlike all the Scandinavian black metal bands that thrive on Occult, pagan, or Viking themes, these Brits choose to write about war. From "Battle of Smolensk" to "Stalinorgel " to "At the Gates of Moscow," everything on this album is about the wars that hae plagued Europe in the past.
Blood on Snow has some variety; after blasting without mercy on "Stalinorgel," the title track, and "Unleash the Panzer Division," Eastern Front take a decidedly melodic turn on "Motherland" and continue in that more nuanced vein on "Dvenadtzat Kilometrov Ot Moskvy," "At the Gates of Moscow," and "Where the Warriors Once Fell."
Blood on Snow isn't a full-fledged symphonic black metal album, but the second half of the 49-minute CD definitely shows that Eastern Front are quite capable of nuance and musicality, as well as skull-smashing viciousness. Unfortunately,
Nagant often renders the lyrics difficult to understand, which is a common complaint about both black metal and death metal. But all things considered,
Blood on Snow is a decent debut from these U.K. residents. ~ Alex Henderson