The title of Vorga‘s 2019 debut EP, Radiant Gloom, was itself a signpost to this German black metal band’s sound, and serves as a signpost to what their first album holds in store as well. The title of the new album, Striving Toward Oblivion, also forecasts the affecting darkness in the music, and yet it is indeed also radiant.
The album’s song titles and cover art point the way toward an excursion into the stunning expanse of the cosmos, but one whose ultimate destination is death manifesting — which happens to be the title of the album’s closing track that we’re presenting today.
This new song is a multi-faceted and thoroughly captivating one, which is emblematic of Vorga‘s many strengths and of the progression their songwriting has taken since that debut EP. It’s rhythmically arresting at a primal level, so much so that it’s capable of shaking listeners like rag dolls, but it’s also atmospheric, emotionally evocative, and memorable, blending moods of desperation and wonder with compelling intensity. Continue reading »