To create something that feels alive in the current climate of black metal, I firmly believe that you either need to be so steeped in the style that you know exactly how to morph it into something worth listening to or you approach your new material with a completely different mindset. When I first saw the cover art for Bykürius, I figured we were going to get more of the former even though the band’s name alone nearly convinced me the latter was going to be the case. With a mix of bother, it’s with this album that Bykürius made have found a surprisingly interesting middle ground.

To see a black metal band nowadays influenced by the like of Watain and Emperor is like seeing death metal bands that aren’t influenced by Death or Cannibal Corpse: it almost never happens. So, when I saw such a cover art for “A Heretic Art”, I could tell immediately where Bykürius was going to take their music, but, fortunately, they didn’t let that tie them down across these five tracks that bring a healthy dose of black metal in the vein of beloved classics as well as creating something that’s new. It’s but five tracks that adorn the little corner of darkness that “The Heretic Art” calls its own, but it’s through a scathing take on the style mixed with pretty by-the-books lyrics that Bykürius make their presence known quite well throughout most of the album as it’s through their cold energy and harsh devastation that rains upon all that makes this little treat an EP that’s a solid listen for most fans of the style. It’s in the last track, though, that Bykürius really gives us something different across the nearly 10-minute finale. It’s a grand work that wraps together all the excellently done tropes of “A Heretic Art” in a comfortable wrapping of something different that’s guided by solid cleans and unique songwriting when compared to the other tracks that just makes it stand out all the more, and it’s through a sudden shift in direction that Bykürius escapes the trap of becoming just another by-the-books band of black metal that has virtually nothing new to add to the table.

I’d say I’d like to wait and hear more to see where this band takes their sound, but they already have plenty of material out that I’m just dying to get my hands on as soon as I finish typing these words, and if it’s anything along the lines of “A Heretic Art” then it’s sure to be something interesting. Bykürius can clearly be a vessel to bring something really tongue and cheek with a name like that, but, instead, they bring a solid blend that’s both familiar but feels far from tiring as they navigate the style like near masters.

“A Heretic Art” releases soon!

LISTEN to previous Bykürius works on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Bykürius on Facebook here.