Premiere: Syn Ze Sase Tri Breathe New Life into Ancient Legends

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Pagan metal can be about something other than vikings. Who knew?

There are many, many parts of the past that metal bands could look to for inspiration, but bands the world over flock to Norse history for lyrics. It’s understandable; it feeds into our lust for adventure and glory with romanticized images of seafaring warriors, answering to no one and doing as they please. It also seems just a little bit silly when it’s being performed by four guys from Idaho. Don’t get me wrong; if that’s your passion and you’re well-versed in medieval Scandinavian history, then go for it. But if the entire basis of your band is, “Hey, we should totally be like Amon Amarth,” then maybe you should reconsider.

In this regard, Romania’s Syn Ze Sase Tri are a huge breath of fresh air, singing about the Dacian legends of antiquity. The Dacian kingdom existed in varying shapes and sizes for a little over 250 years, eventually being conquered by the Roman empire after two bloody, grueling decades of war. Their last king, Decebalus, was said to have buried vast swathes of treasure in the riverbeds; if this isn’t a solid setup for some adventurous lyrics, then I don’t know what is.

Syn Ze Sase Tri’s music is equally intriguing, bearing almost no similarities to other Pagan metal bands. “De-a Dreapta Omului” is dramatic and intense, opening with menacing strings and the boom of a timpani, building into a driving guitar melody that echoes the symphonics. The riffs are as vicious as the throat-rending dual vocals, augmented by deft use of synths. The build to the climax is nothing short of cinematic, trading leads between the keys and guitar, and culminating in a gloriously shreddy solo. It has a power metal-like sense of grandiosity that never quite goes into full-blown cheesiness. All told, it’s a ton of fun, and the full album promises to be something truly worthy of its subject matter.

Zăul Moş comes out September 29th through Aural Music, and you can check out their Bandcamp page for another awesome track. You can follow the band on Facebook here.

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