VORGA
VORGA "Beyond The Palest Star"
By Dr. Abner Mality
Cosmic black metal is now a thing, if you didn't know. It makes sense that a genre often associated with freezing cold would find inspiration in the absolute zero of the interstellar void. VORGA, hailing from planets unknown, is such a band. Transcending Obscurity, a label much more associated with gnarly death metal and experimental grind, is an unusual home for them.
VORGA's brand of BM is pretty melodic, bringing DISSECTION and LIMBONIC ART to mind on occasion. Synths, icy and clean, appear to add celestial majesty, but there's something "cosmic" in the riffing itself that suggests the void. First song "Voideath" opens with that kind of majesty but gives way to speed where the drumming almost sounds like the blast of rocket exhaust. VORGA is not a particularly speed oriented band but they can use warp drive when needed. The vocals are very typical of the genre and sound like a 100 other black metal bands.
There are moments when they reach what they are trying to grasp. "The Cataclysm" is a short but very potent track where aggression and melody mix beautifully. The closing "Terminal" is a well thought out epic that ends things on a high note. But for all their talent, VORGA still can't quite hit escape velocity. For example, "Fractal Cascade" drags and "Tragic Humanity" is on the average side.
The cover art is beautiful and a big part of VORGA. When they create an album that truly reflects that level of wonder, they will reach the next stage of their evolution.