The very prospect of a worthwhile split is always something that is demanding of attention, much like any exciting body of work. It’s already a sight to see one band put together a fascinating performance, but to see two or even more come together to work off each other with different performances that allow the listener to enjoy much more in one location with the potentiality for intrigue much higher than usual. When two exceptional names come together, it truly does feel like a combination that can’t be stopped. Simply seeing a split from the likes of Angrrsth and Czort is enough to make me break my neck as I attempt to get to it as quickly as possible, and it’s all but obvious to say that every inch of this split is every bit as capturing as it promises to be from the very onset of such a concept.

It can be a real challenge for any band to make a statement that represents themselves and their style in just two tracks, but that’s part of what makes splits so damned interesting much of the time since each act is forced to maximize their brief time in ways that they’re not forced to do on an EP or proper full-length, making the performances in works like “W Czelusc” feel like a wildly intoxicating appetizer to a much more extravagant meal. Such is very much the case with what both Angrrsth and Czort have brought to the table for these four tracks, two for each. Both of these acts are still relatively fresh to the world of black metal, but it’s in every way with their previous creations that they’ve shown themselves to be powerhouses of the sound that are not to be underestimated with their flavorful approaches and magnificent terror that is all but intoxicating to lose yourself in. Whether it’s from the diversity and multi-layered madness that Angrrsth brings to the table or Czort’s more straightforward but deadlier sense of melody that makes their craft viciously potent, there is so much to pick apart from the 19 minutes on display here for any fan of what the modern landscape is capable of for both names manage to deliver similar yet fantastically distinct performances that not only complement each other but make for an undeniable ride of vicious power and undeniable prowess. This is what it means to create an apex split of this kind with these two rising acts all but perfect to bring “W Czelusc” to its full potential.

There are always numerous splits for us to sift through year after year with few managing to rise above the competition to not just become a mere usage of B-sides that weren’t fit for more fleshed-out albums, but cohesive performances all their own that offer a true experience that we could only ever otherwise find should the acts share the stage. The very existence of “W Czelusc” is proof of what black metal is capable of when all the right boxes are checked and every expectation is exceeded in stupendous fashion with everything that both Angrrsth and Czort more than enough to capture anyone who finds themselves within its magnificence, and I would dare anyone to find a more compelling creation in recent months than what they’ve crafted here out of raw darkness and vicious, untamed power.

“W Czelusc” releases on September 9th via Godz ov War Productions!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “W Czelusc” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Angrrsth on Facebook here.

LIKE Czort on Facebook here.