DVVAD – Mrklb

Written by on 28-12-2023 at 19:00.

Szeged is located in Hungary and appears to be the base of this quintet, DVVAD. It’s a region on the border with Serbia and Romania. Mrklb is the first album for this black metal collective, released through Tallheim Records. Will the music of this five-piece cross any borders? Or will the band stay safely within the lines? In any case, it’s still a young pack. Their first EP dates back to 2018, the founding year. Hungarian black metal is intriguing and has pleasantly surprised me in the past. Just the initial albums of the renowned Sear Bliss were mighty – I think of Phantoms or The Haunting.

I can’t quite place where the peculiar combination of letters in the band name comes from. Nor is it entirely clear to me what the album title stands for, or not entirely. According to the provided information, Mrklb stands for Markolab, which appears to be a mythological creature. The album was written from the perspective of a person trapped in eternity. The link with this mythological creature isn’t entirely clear to me, but let’s not bother.

DVVAD has placed four tracks on this debut album, all neatly numbered in sequence to prevent confusion. To avoid getting lost in the dark infinity right from the start. Upon hearing the initial sounds, I can understand why writing from the aforementioned perspective is mentioned. You immediately sense that this band’s music explores the edges of black metal. There’s a considerable rough, fragmented atmospheric edge to it, something we also appreciate in the work of Gaerea, for example. The music of this Hungarian collective aligns somewhat with these Portuguese friends. However, there’s ample room for character, individuality, and a distinct identity. The vocals are quite emotive and delivered with great variation.

It can drag, pull, and tug, and that’s what you get to hear on Mrklb II. A monotonous blast, a deep growl, and especially the guitars laying down significant accents and not allowing themselves to be overshadowed by some occult background vocals stand out. Around the seventh minute, you seem to descend into an abyss, and then a piercing throat and a resonant guitar sequence pull you back to the surface. The mighty, powerful Mrklb III subsequently happily throws you back into that same abyss. Rarely have I heard such a powerful arsenal of riffs, and rarely have I heard such a powerful yet simple, penetrating blast. Excellent and very strong track. Also, take a listen to that idiosyncratic bass. Magnificent!

Mrklb is a particularly interesting debut album from the Hungarian DVVAD. It’s worth immersing yourself in the spirit of this band and allowing yourself to be tempted to take a step or two into the dark, endless void. You might get lost for all I care because musically, you won’t be disappointed, and thus, the gentlemen cross several boundaries. Good, better, best, I could even say magnificent!

Score:

90/100

Label:

Tallheim Records, 2023

Tracklisting:

  1. Mrklb I
  2. Mrklb II
  3. Mrklb III
  4. Mrklb IV

Line-up:

  • Adam Dudas – Vocals, guitar
  • Peter Gillan – Bass guitar
  • Laszlo Nagy – Guitar
  • Gergö Takacs – Drums
  • Marta Zoltan – Keyboard (session)

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