Poland’s Fire is no stranger to the black metal scene, having played in multiple bands over the years. Elgibbor, taking the Hebrew name for “Almighty God,” is Fire’s long running brainchild. Fifteen years into the band’s history, The Path of Suffering also features Thundermorr and Armath Sargon, which add greatly to the band dynamic. This disc unleashes a predominantly raw black metal sound with minimalist tendencies, although it could be argued that the keyboards give it an ambient bent. The fierce drumming and cymbal bashing is best when full speed, as in “Embrace Life (or Death)” or “Restore.” Guitars have a fuzzed out tone and serve mostly in rhythm capacity, occasionally taking the lead, as in “Blessed Are You, O Lord.” Keys set the dark tone, and the snarling/screeching vocals are low in the mix. Lyrics are 100 percent Christ-centric in this limited, unblack release.
