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SEV LEZU’s Debut Album "Blood Conscript" Revives the Old-School Violence of Black Metal
A Bloody Ritual
Emerging from the New York, Philadelphia, and Pacific Northwest axis, black metal band SEV LEZU have released their debut album, "Blood Conscript", via Ordovician Records. Available on vinyl, cassette, and digital formats, the album brings the band’s self-described “GRINDING, MELODIC BLACK DEATH” approach together with the Swedish and Finnish traditions of black metal and the aggressive rhythmic framework of death metal and black-thrash.
Formed in 2022, the band’s music draws on the cold melodic character of Swedish black metal through DISSECTION and BATHORY, alongside the dark atmosphere of the Finnish school represented by SARGEIST, HORNA, and SATANIC WARMASTER. This foundation is combined with grind rhythms influenced by TERRORIZER and NASUM, the charging character of IRON MAIDEN, and the sharp, percussive guitar approach of DEATH’s later records.
The creative core behind the album is drummer, vocalist, lyricist, and producer Sasha Stroud. Also known for his work with BELEXUM and ONW, Stroud recorded, mixed, and mastered "Blood Conscript" between 2023 and 2025 at Artifact Audio in New York and Portland.
The album’s notable collaboration, however, comes from guitarist Mia Priest. The former IMPIETY member contributes guest guitar as well as songwriting to 'Corpse Step'. The band’s lineup features Melissa Moore on guitar, FW on bass, and Stroud on drums, vocals, and synthesizers.
The narrative of "Blood Conscript" unfolds on the same dark ground as the band’s musical aggression. Across seven tracks, the album tells a cursed tale built around ancient dark mythologies, a hateful pantheon, and bloody revenge.
The album artwork was created by Tara Atefi, with Elika Nakhaee handling the logo and border design and Eva Tusquets providing the photography. The tracklist for "Blood Conscript" is as follows:
'…Into Darkness'
'The Stillborn'
'Corpse Step'
'Blood Conscript'
'Revenge'
'The Ritual of Bone and Blade'
'Man's Evil Gift'
On their debut, SEV LEZU reinterpret old-school references within a contemporary recording approach, combining the cold melodies of melodic black metal with the physical aggression of grind and death metal.