One of the seemingly endless joys of being a metal fan is stumbling across a band that’s old as the hills but somehow new to you. Kawir is a good example. They released their first demo in 1993 and Kydoimos is their eighth studio album. However, when an algorithm suggested I might listen to a pagan black metal band called Kawir, it was the first I’d heard of them. A quick search revealed that was my loss and that was good enough for me to take the plunge.
Kawir wasted no time in confirming I’d made the right choice. Call me a simple man but when a band opens an album with blaring horns that could come from a movie soundtrack followed by vicious black metal guitars, I am instantly in a good place. Kydoimos is full of punchy, frosty classic black metal melodies. It’s the bedrock of Kawir‘s sound and I’d have been happy with that alone. What makes Kydoimos worth reviewing though are all the flourishes and excursions that play off and accentuate that base. A ghostly flute trills owl-like over the epic guitars and distant choirs of “Fields of Flegra”. The track “Hecatonchires” is outright folky and at times, jaunty. The opening melody of “Myrmidons” reminds me of Cradle of Filth while on closer and standout “War Is The Father Of All” Kawir go for epic, darkly triumphant melodies to accompany guest vocalist Ilias Zervas‘ theatrical tenor. All the performances are solidly on point and it’s no surprise to learn most of Kawir‘s members have a long history in the Greek black metal scene.
Kydoimos is just a good solid black metal album. It’s sound is varied and fresh enough to grow over multiple listens, but classic enough to scratch an itch and stay cohesive. I wish Kawir had leaned more into their epic side as it provides Kydoimos’ best moments but I can hardly complain about what they’ve served up instead. While finishing up this review, I was reminded that in mythology, Kydoimos was the personification of the din and confusion of battle. Listen to Kawir and you’ll be left wanting to cause some din of battle all of your very own.
