Transilvania – Of Sleep and Death

My personal New Years resolution was to review more music than ever before. That means opening my mind and ears to genres I’m usually picky about, like black metal and doom metal. However, this is going to be a challenge. That’s because despite being only 4 days into 2021, Transilvania has set the bar pretty high for black metal this year.

Don’t let their name fool you. While they may be named after a Romanian village, Transilvania hails from Austria. Don’t let their Metal Archives page fool you either. They’re labelled as “black/thrash metal”. While I can’t speak on behalf of their past catalog, the thrashiness of their second album, and my introduction to the band, Of Sleep and Death, most definitely varies. Yes, there are some thrash riffs within OSaD. The title track and “Mortpetten” are great examples. However, the thrash aspect is firmly rooted in black metal à la Nifelheim. If anything, I get a much more blackened heavy metal vibe, similar to newfound favorites, Malokarpatan.

Of Sleep and Death is a dark and uneasy listen. It’s sinister, though not in the cliché manner we’ve come to know black metal post-Mayhem. The songwriting takes a cue from cult legends Root, which is always a promising sign. The sonic force of the unholy vocals and tormented tremolo picking create an effect that lies somewhere between “epic” and “atmospheric”. It’s epic without being nerdy, and atmospheric without being soft. You dig?

Now for me to take the time to review a black metal album, you know something has to stand out besides the band’s abilities to write compelling 5+ minute songs and outright evil aura. That extra “oomph” to the Transilvania sound is the guitarwork of O. von Schwarzenberg (lead) and D.D. Stumpp (rhythm). What really impresses me is this duo’s ability to craft retro, melodic old school guitar parts. Take the last minute to “Heart Harvest”. Tell me that doesn’t sound like the outro to a Dio era Sabbath song. Another great example is the halfway break in the title track. Ever wonder what Gary Moore would sound like if he played in a black metal band? Me either, but fast forward to the 3:00 minute mark and you’ll find out.

Of Sleep and Death has just about everything going for it. My only preference would be if they put even more focus on the traditional, melodic sections than the frostbitten second wave parts, but of course that’s my bias as a first wave fiend. Truth be told, whether you prefer the first wave, the second wave, or both, Transilvania has something to fill your plate at this black metal buffet.

7 out of 10

Label: Invictus Production

Genre: Black/Heavy Metal

For fans of: Malokarpatan, Root, Tormentor