Artist: Bjes
Country: Czech Republic
Label: Self-released
Formats: Digital EP
Year: 2023
For the Czech band Bjes, the self-released EP ‘Prázdnota’ is their first release. With a release title that translates to ‘Emptiness’ you might be tempted to think the tone of the band’s music is rather depressive, but in reality it would be much fairer to label the band as atmospheric Black Metal, or post Black Metal if you will.
The band’s first EP consists of two tracks, ‘Blázne’ (which translates to ‘Crazy’) and ‘Ved’ mne’ (‘Lead Me’) that together clock in at about 17 minutes. During these songs the band employs long stretched midpaced melodies that make up most of these tracks, with changes of drum rhythms and pace offering a sense of variation in an otherwise hypnotizing and dreamy atmosphere. The bass sound is rich, providing a more frivolous component to the music. Vocal wise, the raspy screams provide a bit of harshness and an icy nature to contrast the dreamlike atmosphere.
Having formed in 2018, the band hasn’t rushed into releasing their first material and it pays off on ‘Prázdnota’. It turns out to be a very mature sounding EP with two well-built lengthy tracks of atmospheric and melodic Black Metal that shows plenty of promise for the future.
