Review: Groza – Nadir

Groza have reached the crucial point in a band’s career: “Nadir” is their third record, which is said to be the “make it or break it” moment. Let’s see how this turns out for the bavarian black metalheads, who will have to live with comparisions to UADA due to similarities in sound and dresscode.

The album opens with “Soul : Inert”: a slow-burning instrumental that draws the listener into a world of barren tension. There’s a calculated bleakness in its minimalist intro—setting the stage for the onslaught that follows. What comes next is not simply aggressive, but is methodical aggression.

“Absent” merges tremolo-picked fury with mournful, layered guitar textures, evoking a sense of ritualistic descent. It’s not just about speed or violence – it’s about control, release, and carefully measured collapse.

And the dudes know how to write a catchy, melodic black metal song – just check out “Dysthymian Dreams” and bang your heart out to it!

The production strikes an admirable balance between clarity and grime. It’s not overly polished, but neither is it raw for the sake of it. This feels deliberate, as an aural texture suited to themes of erosion and endurance.

For all their clear influences, Groza have developed a sound that feels self-possessed. There are echoes of bands like Mgła and Uada in their melodic structures, but Groza avoid mimicry. Where others stay locked in rigid forms, “Nadir” dares to explore ambience, pacing, and moments of near-ritualistic quietude. Even when the band leans into traditional black metal tropes, they do so with weight and clarity. In the end, building something that feels enduring rather than derivative.