отвъд

Ten years in the making, smallman’s fourth full-length and first with their expanded line-up, introduced in 2019's "Камък" single (2019) and on the recent yet rare live appearances of the band, is here. “Отвъд“ takes the music of Bulgaria’s leading folk-influenced atmospheric metal band to a whole new level of complexity, intensity, and monumentality without losing any of the sincerity that has won the hearts of listeners all across the Balkans in the last two decades. For the first time in the band’s history, all the lyrics on the record are in Bulgarian, making the otherwise vast, otherworldly music of the sextet more captivating and touching than ever. In a typical smallman fashion, “Отвъд“ was written 1500 m above sea level in the mountain village of Manastir. However, Cvetan Hadzhiyski (vocals, bagpipes, kaval), Ivan Todorov (guitars), Stefan Penev (bass), Andon Trapkov (drums), Ivan Shopov (electronics), and Peter Delchev (strings) turned this creative solitude into music that welcomes collaboration. The guests on this record add layers to an already deep sonic universe, thus making the music of smallman more open-ended and sparse than ever. From the heart-wrenching vocals by Angie in "Окриление", to the folklore singing by Asya Pincheva (of TRIGAIDA and Oratnitza fame) on the epic "Ясно слънце", or the Abagar Quartet's traditional choir in "Кожильо", to Burak Malçok’s ney on the penultimate track on the record – these contributions don’t feel like guests but as inseparable parts of the monolithic whole that the album has been shaped into. “Отвъд“ is not only smallman’s most complex record in terms of lyrics, music writing, and arrangement, but probably their most impactful release production-wise. Todor Nedelchev, who handled both the engineering and mixing of the record, ensured all of the instruments, from the wall-of-sound downtuned guitars to the ethereal vocals of both the lead singer and the featured artists, to the acoustic strings, the massive rhythm section, and the intricate electronic layers, have found their rightful places in this intricate sonic puzzle that the album is. The only thing left is to delve deep into whatever lies within "Отвъд" so all of its stories and secrets can be unveiled. That will require you to truly listen, succumb and experience.