Kawir - Kydoimos Review

We all know Black Metal has several facetes and, maybe, that’s trhe thing that fascinates the most the fans all around this sad and lonely and pathetic little planet. Yeah, Black Metal is a passion. Only the only that have feelings for it can explain what this is. It’s the power, the passion, the heresy, the rebellion. Black Metal without all these isn’t Black Metal. It may be something else, but not Black Metal at all.

Kawir are a Pagan-Black Metal band formed in the early 1990’s and since then they have been exploring Greek mythology, literature, and mysteries for 30 years or thereabouts, and no other band really captures the essence of those stories and times the same way. Their first release was 1994’s “Eumenides” (from the Greek “Ευμενιδες,” an epithet of the Erinyes), second with their seminal debut LP “Προσ Κάβειρους (To Cavirs)” (from the Greek “Προς Κάβειρους” literally to or towards Cavirs) in 1997. “To Cavirs” and its 1999 follow-up, “Epoptia” (from the Greek “Εποπτεια,” which translates roughly as “Providence”) were early proofs of Kawir’s strength in channelling the grandeur of Greek mythology into Black Metal. Fast forward to 2024 when “Kydoimos” comes to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band.

Well, in short is “Kydoimos” a homage to the early Black Metal scene, distinctly, to Bathory, Burzum, and Mayhem. I dare to say even more to Bathory’s 1988’s “Blood Fire Death,” the album that ignites a new era to Black Metal introducing more elements to a scene that was pretty raw. Well, it couldn’t be different as Kawir belong to that era. No news about that. A natural thing.

Inspired on the aforementioned album, “Kydoimos” uses some sounds of battle as trumpets and even some flutes. Album igniter “Teiresias” starts with some trumpets to announce the hell it’s going to become the world as Kawir see it. Musicwise, the band relies on a raw Black Metal structure which can be embellished with some other instruments. The guitars are fiercy with tonal chords to give them songs more power. The drumming is purely primal as if a battle were to come. My dear child of the night may find it with the seminal “Myrmidons,” a track that spills blood everywhere. Second battle hymn “Fields Of Flegra” mixes this raw Black Metal structures with a gentle flute in the end that is a game changer. But the more striking effect of the flutes comes from “Hecatonchires” where they are embedded in the song contrasting with the guitars and all the instrumentals. Interestingly, Kawir manage very well to bounce 1990’s Black Metal sonancy with a more modern one by the mesmerizing and pulsating guitars.

“Kydoimos” is an album to be heard with respect. Veterans as Kawir deserve all the respect we can give them not only for the services to the cause, but also to have managed to stay alive for all those years. Fight for the Metal cause isnt that easy, my dear child of the night.

Kawir “Kydoimos” was released on April 19th via Soulseller Records.

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