Portugal's black metal scene has been exploding as of late, with most of the attention focused on the painfully raw presentations of bands like Black Cilice and Cripta Oculta, and the prolific output of labels like Signal Rex and Altare Productions in general. Porto's Nevoa (who are conveniently based a stone's throw from the site of Portugal's wildest yearly metal fest, SWR Barroselas) have been making waves as well, though of a decidedly more progressive nature. Their take on the genre is a bit more dynamic—there's a much heavier emphasis on experimental song structures, innovative percussion, and brooding atmosphere than one would expect from one of their geographical peers, and it's a breath of fresh air to ears more used to being sandblasted whenever the "Portuguese black metal" label appears.Last year, the duo released their second full-length, Re Un, and not long after, they've returned with a new standalone single that they'll be releasing on Bandcamp today (March 31). As the band explained, "'Pale and Frail, He Stands' serves as a transition between our previous record and what we aim to do in the future. Lyrically, the song refers to the frailty of the human mind and how easily it can be corrupted and torn apart by a sense of distorted reality, solitude and alienation."Listen below, and if you're the downloadin' kind, feel free to cop it from Nevoa's Bandcamp—it's out now!
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