Inferno are firmly rooted in the Czech black metal sounds of Maniac Butcher and Dark Storm. Considering the demise of both Maniac Butcher and Dark Storm, those who yearn for their sounds will find Inferno’s Duch Slovanské Síly to be quite a pleasing record. The first and last tracks are keyboard pieces that sound like a dumbed down version of Profanum or the intro to Graveland’s "Following The Voice Of Blood". Sandwiched by these two tracks are 7 extremely adept black metal tracks.

There is a very noticeable Maniac Butcher influence in the songwriting, and Inferno also delivers a healthy dose of their own ideas. The vocals really stand out; they are akin to a knight yelling commands at his brigade on a medieval battlefield in a grim voice. The lyrics are pronounced clearly, and sound menacing in the Czech language. The drumming is tight and extremely well done. There are some very battle-inspired riffs, and the whole album has the feeling of being in the middle of a massive, ancient melee where swords and armor were donned by the soldiers. Track 5 even begins and ends with battle noises to enhance this effect.

The black metal herein is very well done, with a solid production and continues the tradition of quality Czech black metal. This is Inferno’s debut album and I hope that they go on to become the next great Czech black metal horde, picking up where Maniac Butcher left off.

Written By: Sodomy-Kommando