Black metal band from Olsztyn, Poland.
Codec WMA Lossless

Plaga were formed in 2008 in Olsztyn, Poland, and since then they have been presenting us new material every two years. Last year it was time for them to release their first full-length album entitled "Magia Gwiezdnej Entropii". With a quick search, the title can be translated as "Magic Stellar Entropy" which also predisposes us for the lyrical content of the album. I have been following Plaga already from their excellent demo and EP and I was expecting a similar musical approach. Luckily, my expectations were more than fulfilled.

Already from the slow, monotonous intro the intention of the band is obvious. They want to offer introverted, nihilistic and traditional black metal without compromises. The tracks are similar in structure, following a mid-tempo rhythm for the most part. The guitars repeat several times the same riff dragging the listener into a state of semi-hypnosis and thus creating the ideal conditions for the short outbreaks that follow. Tempo increases dangerously and the listen becomes a grueling, yet very addictive process. Most of the riffs follow the well-known method of tremolo picking but at the same time transmit such dynamism and emotion that simply can not leave the listener uninterested. Towards the ending of the tracks, several lead melodies can be heard and also some solos, which fit in an awesome way and are not just a vain display of musical abilities.

All lyrics, with the exception of "Slaying the Spiritless Abel", are written in Polish so understanding their content was relatively difficult for me. By using a translator I think I managed to figure out their basic meaning. They range from issues such as the Apocalypse to stellar phenomena and obscure matters in general. Truth is that the vocals of Wojciech in conjunction with the perfectly matched mid-tempo musical background, gave me the impression of narrating a story, and if anything increased my interest even more. Finally, I could not omit the production of the album, which sounds intentionally raw in order to match the musical content and the general atmosphere. Also, this must be the reason why the bass is barely audible.

I had been waiting for long the release of a complete work from Plaga and I can say that, even with a slight delay, I discovered one of the best albums of 2013. These Polish managed to rekindle my interest in the genre, which I had lost for some months. They profess the basic elements that make this genre so unique. Dedication, loyalty and repulsion for the moral values ​​of the modern world.

Tracklist:
1. Intro - Left Hand Prayers  01:44
2. Trąby zagłady cz. II  07:32
3. Śmierć cieplna wszechświata  10:41
4. Slaying the Spiritless Abel  07:48
5. Magia gwiezdnej entropii  07:38