It would be an understatement to say that war and related tragedies are a topic that metal likes to touch upon on a pretty regular basis. We’ve seen throngs of bands of all genres tap into those themes, plenty of bands that make it their whole persona, but very few that are able to constantly and reliably come forward and deliver performances that are dense, impactful, magnificent, and of such a high quality that the band in question becomes synonymous with war itself in an aural form. If nothing else, 1914 is such a name. Their rise over the past eleven years has been an absolute privilege to witness, and it’s only with time they’ve come to hone their craft to a terrifying edge. Throughout their fourth album, it’s in drawing from historical and current events that 1914 continues down their dark, shrapnel-riddled path.

The horror of war is something that we can all relate to, some far more intimately than others. It’s something that never leaves you. An indelible mark upon the soul that can never be removed, the effects of such travesties cannot be denied even after the march of time progresses ever onward. Having made their name in putting a constant spotlight on the many-layered hellscape that was World War I, 1914 has now seen the ravages of battle firsthand given the band is Ukrainian. It has been almost four years since their country went to war, and it hasn’t been since then that 1914 has delivered us a new full-length album. Ukrainian metal has seen an explosion in recent years with the battles offering a unique set of circumstances for the country’s artists, but, above all other bands, I was greatly interested in what 1914 would bring to the table. Never once shying away from being rightfully outspoken about the current situation, it’s in the undulating fury and sorrow of their newest creation, “Viribus Unitis”, that we see 1914 rise out of the bloodiest snow with great presence, rage, and intent.

Much like its predecessors, this album is absolutely ferocious. There’s something so visceral and primal about what “Viribus Unitis” dares to bring forward to the listener that is surely born out of the horrors that 1914 have witnessed firsthand over these last few years, and it has all been channeled in such a way that is singularly captivating. The record isn’t as melodic nor as filled with rhythmic hooks as some of the records that came before it as if 1914 sought to create a performance that offers very little reprieve. Even when the war has supposedly come to an end, what of the soldiers that are left to their devices and shoved back home expecting to integrate seamlessly back into society? The dolling of gunfire nor the sight of bodies falling lifelessly are easily removed from the psyche, and “Viribus Unitis” does an impeccable job at showcasing the sheer madness of war upon the human condition. Not just a record that picks up on some seemingly random aspects or points of view from WWI, this record holds a clear line through every single year of The Great War that showcases some of the most terrible offensives and scenes that Eastern Europe saw. 1914 is simply haunting in their execution. Even as the sparse riffage comes together with the intelligent and bombastic songwriting, it’s the evocative factor of “Viribus Unitis” that stands out more than anything else.

No satisfying end. No true resolution. Cyclical. Unending terror that has only transmuted itself from an aural and visual form to something psychological and wide-reaching in its post-war silence.

This is the culmination of years of great strife, supreme creativity, and immense prowess brought together in such an undeniably vicious and captivating form. 1914 has been on the rise since its inception for all the right reasons, yet it’s with all that’s summoned throughout “Viribus Unitis” which we see 1914 at the darkest, lowest moments yet. Not taking current events lightly and fighting back in a magnificent act of defiance, this is a record that’s destined to stand out in 1914’s discography even well after the band’s end.

LISTEN to “Viribus Unitis” via YouTube here.

LISTEN to singles from “Viribus Unitis” on Bandcamp here.

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FOLLOW 1914 on Instagram here.