The seeming infinite reaches of the underground black metal world is something that’s as much of a boon as it is difficult in my experience. One on hand, so much innovation, talent, and intensity that graces every release in some form. On the other, so many acts that just feel like they’re not trying for some ungodly reason that I’ll maybe never understand. When I hear something immensely lo-fi with a very basement-esque quality to it, I have a hard time attaching to it especially since the quality of it tends to be questionable at best to me. But, when I encountered just that with the very first material from Leeches, I couldn’t help but become attached.

Featuring members of both Dødsferd and Sørgelig, I really should’ve known that quality wasn’t going to be a problem whatsoever with this effort. With a straight forward black metal sound that’s just how to absorb all light in the world for whatever nefarious purpose and have a raw sound that’s so effective it’s downright infectious, everything goes in the favor of “A Plague in the Heart of Light” in a big way. It feels incredibly by the numbers in many places, but it’s in literally every other second throughout this brief work that Leeches crams in so much of the individual flavors of all three musicians beautifully to make all five tracks stand out in unique ways even if it’s only by a little. We’re not met with the incredibly flaccid attempts of many unqualified bands that have a terrible sound and no idea what they’re doing that takes form in a sloppy at best creation, but, instead, a calculated effort that’s a return to each musician’s black metal roots in grand fashion that never once fails to deliver. Every possible facet of “A Plague in the Heart of Light” brings us everything that we look for in a quintessential black metal release and act, and I can absolutely see this qualify as a must-hear release for many purveyors of underground black metal as these guys have definitely made something worth talking about here with their talent being known elsewhere instantly making the name of Leeches one to be on the lookout for. It’s not often that a black metal act from so far in the underground can make an impression just from its line-up, but Leeches certainly accomplished that and it’s with “A Plague in the Heart of Light” that they only cemented the fact that many fans of the style should keep their eyes peeled in the future for more.

It may be a tad bold or foolish for me to say that this is arguably one of the better black metal acts to come out of Greece in recent years, but I can’t help but feel that’s greatly accurate in many parts just from listening to “A Plague in the Heart of Light” and knowing the talent that’s at play behind Leeches. The band may only be months old at this point, but it’s one that I’ll definitely be on the watch out for in the future, and I can’t help but suggest many of you do the very same.

LISTEN to “A Plague in the Heart of Light” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Leeches on Facebook here.