Review Summary: The Nietzsche - Vasyl EP
Being a fan of The Nietzsche in 2023 (or 2022) is really challenging. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the band has postponed any activities for their first full-length album indefinitely. Bummer.
So, I recently discovered that last year, The Nietzsche teamed up with their sister project, Septa, to release a raw screamo EP completely in Ukrainian. Like, what the hell? I guess such a medium was the most optimal way to express what they’re living through during the ongoing war, but I was still very much surprised. And yes, it is raw and very much screamo.
This relatively short self-titled EP starts somewhat sweet and melodramatic, but the visceral vocals and painful lyrics (which I’ve translated) instantly tone it down. One thing that always distinguished both bands was top-notch production, but with Nekura, it seems they went the completely opposite way. The sound is dry, raw, almost unproduced, with no overdubs or vocal doubles, and it seems like the whole thing was recorded live. While the opener was a bit chaotic and almost math-y, the second song goes all emo. It's the first glimpse of somewhat clean vocals, again sounding really raw and emotional, with no harmonies. But the third track suddenly turns to all blast beats and tremolos, a minute or so of pure black metal, ending in an atmospheric passage with chant-like vocals. My favorite, “I dislike nothing so much,” is pure fury. It's so heavy and intense, it almost made me sweat by the end. Then the closer, a strange piece with some howls and a midwest emo second half. It seems like too much for a 15-minute record, but actually, it doesn’t feel like it.
What else do we have here? Exceptional drumming, interesting layered guitar work with some catchy riffs, bass lines that actually play something coherent, and brilliant vocals with heart-wrenching lyrics. I really advise you to translate those lyrics; they are very poetic, even the tracklist is a poem in itself. Eugene’s delivery is so unique in this project, it’s so real you can feel the spit and the pain of strained vocal cords.
To sum up, not everything on this record is my cup of tea, maybe the almanac-esque approach to the genre would work better on a long-play, and sometimes it feels a bit too retro. But its rawness and realness border on greatness, and maybe they will cross it next time (but only after the Full Scorpion release).
