Vehemency Transfigurations collects together two important Polish black metal groups, namely Infernal War and Kriegsmaschine, so that it’s more than fitting that these two appear on a split release, also considering their musical and surely ideological closeness.

Infernal War is the more thrashing of the two, providing some very crushing black metal with really tight and ass-kicking production. ”Into the Vortex of Naugh” is the most violent and fast of the band’s three compositions here, not to underestimate the power of ”Primal Degradation” and ”Incipit Chaos” at all. Ultimate blast beats and destroying slow parts with professional technicality but never gimmicky, a way I often enjoy my black metal. In spite of not bringing anything new to the table really, Infernal War convinces me pretty well and is surely recommendable for fans of e.g. Massemord.

Kriegsmaschine, however, was the band that I had most expectations for. It’s been five years since we’ve heard about this band as most of the members have focused on Mgla I guess, and now it’s finally time to hear new material from them. Nothing has radically changed: authentic and powerful black metal with some flirts with religious black metal phenomenom (yeah, that melody dissonance), rather growly singing, well-executed and groovy drumming, and production as tight as it was with Infernal War. Guitars are somewhat downtuned, creating an utterly evil atmosphere. ”Onward Destrudo” gets only better when it progresses to a sweet breakdown and ”Fear and Loathing in Gethsemane” is on the same level of greatness with its pounding slow parts and transitions to buzzing seas of blast beat with careful use of melody.

Needless to say, I’m enjoying Transfigurations greatly. It comprises black metal that doesn’t recycle the same ideas all over again (especially Kriegsmaschine) and brings fresh yet not experimental black metal to the table, kicking ass with sheer power and almost scaring the listener with its atmosphere. One of my personal highlights of 2010’s latter half.