Unsigned and Unholy: Vrag

Though they’re signed to German label Schattenkult Produktionen, we think Tasmanian black metal act Vrag is just obscure and esoteric enough they deserve placement in our Unsigned and Unholy category. No shade on Schattenkult (Get it? ‘Cause that’s German for ‘shadow cult.’ I’m a clever guy!), but Vrag’s e-mail was the first we’d heard of them.

Anyway, onto Vrag. As you can tell by that promo photo — and man, what a promo photo –Vrag play some old-school black metal. However, as you’ll hear when you listen to the song posted below, this trio of Tasmanian devils (GOD, I’m clever) err on the side of Darkthrone over Mayhem and Burzum, charging forward with riffy, thrash-influenced material that’s more hellfire than freezing moon. The result is some deeply satisfying black metal, not over- or under-produced, not too laid-back or humorless. It’s the kind of black metal the casual listener wants to blare any given day. A ton of fun, these dudes.

Listen to “Alocholocaustic Carcinogenocide” (man, what a great title) below. You can get Vrag’s new EP, Species of One, at their Bandcamp.