Yes another winner of the GAY BANDPICTURE AWARD. Man I am sorry but short haired fags with spikes around the neck are pretty much the lamest since naked sluts were pictured on covers. The entire album is too technical and death metal influenced for my taste. The rhythms are anal. I won't some grinding not the feeling that a guitar is rythmically penetrating the other guitarist anus. A really good track however, is Ormgard II. I could not get around it, this track not just soundwise reminded me of something I had heard several years ago. Ahh yes, a la Carcass's Heartwork! I am sorry, but while I think highly of Enslaved's previous work this band lost my interest.

Now what should Frost sound like? This is a release which still holds the Enslaved type feeling of the older days. The sound is harsh and cold like its' name Frost. Although not as fucking great as the really early material, but still after getting used to this album I have grown to like it. Well, some riffs/rhythms already show that there would be a progression sooner or later. All in all these are frostic viking hymns with technical riffs and complex structures. Once thing is certain, hard to get bored by Enslaved.

Recorded during 93/94 this is easily my favorite Enslaved album. Not to mention one of my all time favs. Very few tracks ever reach the greatness and spirit of these five outstanding black metallish viking strikes. It sounds a shitload more primitive than the new stuff like Frost, Eld, and the worst Mardraum. Veldi contains some excellent powerful, and above all emotional (sorta dislike that word because it sounds too soft) songs. Being unable to compare it with any other release I can only advise everyone to get this or the previous split (mentioned below)album. The old material is still a fucking highlight in between the numerous follow ups by Enslaved as well as any other band.

This is actually a split between EMPEROR and ENSLAVED. The status is already legendary. It would be needless to say that this stuff is outstanding. Emperor's first four tracks are a high standard which can not easily be outdone, but the following Enslaved tracks are killer. In grimness and rawness both of these bands did a great job. Especially the Enslaved tracks have done it for my taste. Fucking genious. Although some tracks have overlength they won't get boring. The shredding guitars and pushing drums just draw you into the endless circle of pure metal satisfaction. Synth parts are placed here and there, and add a specail touch of sorrow and utmost despair to the already awesome songs. This split and the follow up album V. Veldi are nothing but simply great fucking black metal in the old school fashion of the greater scandinavian days.

Having heard one of their tracks I was curious to hear more. Which was a mistake! What I fucking despise is those who mix their pagan/viking material with Thor's hammer and up side down crosses. Either stick with the mythological themes or satanism but don't blend them into a pile of everything. Those are two different things. This Czech Republican band is a little below average. The troll song is one of the better tracks, but after having heard it several times it gets boring. Several of the ten songs are synth arrangements which provide somewhat of atmosphere and joyfull listening pleasure. Midgard's vox are too weak for my taste and not really worth mentioning. If you want to check out bands of this country better go with Maniac Butcher, because Stormthrone is not very interesting sounding black metal.

Alright, a finnish release with a icy cold, blue design. What do we have learned from previous releases which looked alike?.... Three out of five members have short hair, the female session vocalist is not included, and one guy forgott to put on his black uniform. Okay since we are all open minded fuckers and do not care for such material things ( no of course what is inside counts...hahaha), we shall move onward to the music. Finnish band once more equals depressive touch. Ummm, wanna be depressive touch. Mid paced without great variety. I think 12 songs on one album are too much. Besides there is not much within the slow melodic riffs and the synth lines which makes it interresting. Frostmaiden's Veil is the only track which I can tolerate. I would dare to compare it the much better Gehenna album "Malice". What makes the rest of this finnish album really bad is that it does not really sound depressive. Most riffs are shiny happy accompanied by happy drum beats. If Finland has one of the highest suicide rates than it is because bands like this push their fellow countrymen over the edge with their happy touch!

Easily one of the best pagan/viking/heathen albums around. Even before enjoying the music I have noticed the logo. Once more Christoph Szpajdel did the artwork. This guy did many of the major bands logos, Emperor and Immortal for example. Anyways, the Falkenbach logo appears more or less unoriginal on the first look, but on the second it is pretty neat. Alright, we can not hear a logo, so what does this one man horde present us? The tracks are actually pretty long, but they do not get boring. Vakyas is able to place raw black metallish riffs right next to melodies and also synth lines. Just the instruments already pull off a great variation, which is enforced by both clean and screamy vocals. Merely one minor thing which bothers me a little,...english is not his mothertongue thus certain words or simply sounds have a bad accent. But he who gives a fuck for that will miss an excellent, if not one of the best and original interpretations of heathen pride.

Four figures dressed in black with corpsepaint. Ok, the design is a light blue, but looks not bad. Reading the booklet will reveal that Mortiis did the intro and outro. Furthermore Dan Swanö mixed this album, which can easily be recognized by some tracks. Having to deal with Swedish musicians certainly has a great influence. Ohh why am I making such a fuzz about it?...this is a German band. Mortiis's work is noticable even without knowing what is written in the booklet. The first two tracks by Fermenting Innards are killer black metal tracks. Fast and filled with grimness. From there on the death metal influences take over. It goes downhill until with track number seven you can hear in which country this album was recorded/mixed. The typical swedish death metal sound violently wakes you up and you get a severe beating by Dismember/Entombed like riffs. The great variety in sound and style speaks for this album, feels like a sampler or best of album. Due to lame parts half way through the album it has ups and downs. Nevertheless over all good.

Having heard a track on a lousy compilation CD, I was curious if all their material would be that fucked up and weird. Well, Finntroll as you could have guessed performs Trollish, Orcish symphonic black metal. Symphonic because synth are equal to the other instruments, and black metal because of the vox and guitar riffs. What speaks in favor of this album is the touch of originality and variety in songs. They go from slow to blast beats, and not really the usual rhythms, haha. The synth lines sound refreshing, they are simply bearable because it goes way beyond the traditional frankenstein one note lines and the happy melodies. Do not view this band as grim black metal. I see it as black metallish fantasy/folk experiments which turned out with a good solid production. The design could have been better. Some of the colors make it hard to read the black printed lyrics. This band has a at least one short haired member, haha, thus I knew what it would be like before hearing it. Not a must have for pure grim black metal maniacs, but definitely worth checking out for a change of rhythm. May be a tiny bit like Arcturus’ “Aspera…”, only not as soft and romantic but more trollish chaotic.

What is that infamous line,...do not go into the forest? Anyways, it is a good advise to see what the forest of impaled is about. The name already is excellent, some historical knowledge will even provide you with the adequate images. The cover is taken from "The Great Fall Begins", and that which falls down raises FoI up to a higher level. Unique US black metal with an original touch. Those who have heard non scandinavian black metal before, will grow to like Mortis Dei. The sound is professional but totally different from the usual Grieghallen or Abyss sound. It provides just the right amount of underground production, good black metal!

The follow up album to Mortis Dei,...well let's say the TS of the previous mCD is by far better than this second album. F.o.I. has stayed loyal to their style, thus merely soundwise they have improved. While the first release appeared more blackish (due to the semi-prof. production) Demonvoid has more of the death metal influences. I must admit that even the rerecorded track of Mortis Dei is not as good as the original. I can recommend this output to those familiar with the band,...otherwise I suggest to get some downloads first....

FUCK YEAH!!! That is exactly what I need. An underground band with a professional sound, the right amount of speed (namely fast) and overall brutal elements. The drums sound triggered, if not like a drum computer. Main difference here is that this Italian musician knows what he is doing. So do not expect any lousy drums! Another thing that I think is great, the booklet is in black and white and he even took care about the way the letters appear. Some booklets are unreadable because the writtings are white and the background is white. To wrap it up, a well thought out release, which is very refreshing. This italian black metal assault includes four brutal very heavy black metal tracks and one outro. Buy or die!

This is a killer fucking black metal CD!! Imagine a combination of the speed of Marduk's "Opus Nocturne" with the production and sinister synthwork of Emperor's "Wrath of the Tyrant", and you might have a good idea of what these guys sound like. I usually don't like a lot of keyboards in black metal, but these guys make them sound utterly dark! The drumwork is insanely fast, and the guitar sound is not unlike Niden Div. 187 --really extreme and like a buzzsaw. The vocals are excellent agonizing screams in the style of Abigor's Silenius. Bottom line: there is no reason why maniacs of extreme black metal shouldn't have this is their collection!

Split release with STORMFRONT. Lame cover with some naked whore and a shitty guitar. Well not even the shaved pussy can save this cover from being just plain dumb. The three actual songs, of which the first is a modern experimental intro, are raw as fuck. The music is old school black metal with a great filthy sound. The vocals need a bit getting used to. Since they are distorted I was not too fond of them in the beginning, but Skullfuck is such an intense track that it quickly convinced me. While Gaahlskagg made it worth buying, Stormfront sorta made this split album just average. Mentioning in the booklet that all playing errors and the sound are on purpose already showed me what to expect. Man if this is done on purpose I feal sorry for you guys. Gaahlskagg pounded you so fucking hard into the earth. Stormfront's tracks are very, very unoriginal and above all not enjoyable!

Alright, finally the full length album. Just reading the band should already ring a bell: Gaahl and Skagg. Haven't we heard these names before concerning some other band? The booklet is lame except for two killer fuck off statements. The album is more or less one of those two in one kinda things. Having released the material previously they are bound here together on one full length album. What I dislike are the numerous industrial, experimental passages. Those are way too experimental and unnecessary. Inbetween are the much hoped for black metal tracks. When they get around to pick up the usual instruments I have to praise their glorious way of performing perverse rape metal, which is just another name for raw fucking black metal. Becuase of the experiments which are more often than songs on this album I will not recommend this to just anyone. A full price for a lot of useless crap and a handful of great black metal tracks, I don't know....

A German band mastered in Los Angeles and distributed by a Belgian Label. Alright, since I do not enjoy this album much I will make it short. The tracks are slow throughout. Sorta like Eminenz but not as dumb and boring. The vocals are more of weak growls and certainly could be improved. Due to its slowness it has more of a depressive, doomy touch which by itself is too weak again. Those who enjoy stuff like Eminenz and Earthcorpse might try this. Those who are fortunately narrow minded should not! Especially the last track, which is a lousy remix of the first one, shows me that I should better sell this album.

Where the winds of darkness blow, that is where these guys probably claim to come from. Professional sound released on Spinefarm Recs. This is a swedish five piece who perform melodic "black" metal. What I like is the professional attitude and the mere fact that everything sounds solide. However, since there is always some sort of melody in the riffing it think it is missing the aggressiveness and the rather dark, extreme coldness. What speaks for it is the great variety in speed. The fast parts are really fast, and are accompanied by mid paced riffs. All in all good but not real grim black metal, well just partially.

Haha I will not look at the booklet again. This is the third spell of a more or less new generation band. This simply means not raw fucking black metal, but synth use and more complex song structures. However, I can stand this album. It is not fast grinding, but more of a sickening melodic approach. Usually stuff like this won't get into my collection, but being in the right mood it is tolerable. However it was not strong enough to convince me of getting any of their other material.

Which band will definitely go to Poser Heaven?!?!?!? Not Gehennah! Filthy and dirty as old Venom they perform old school metal with a touch of punk. The lyrics deal with the correct themes for this type of music, violence, alcohol and your mom,…yes they claim to have fucked your mom. Being drunk up the ass shit like that happens I guess. Haha, heavy rock and roll which is so old school that most of the new trendy shitheads won’t like it. Decibel Rebel features noisy guitars and Lemmy like vocals. For old school street metal bangers a worthy candidate to check out. Remember, what ever you do down there in the metal bar just get out of their way, even if the start hitting on your mom!!!!! Crank it up,….

Alright, another German band. Right away I can say that eleven tracks are too much for my taste. Especially if some tracks in the middle sound like they have been placed on there to fill the space. By the title you can easily guess that these six musicians will be burned on the stack, for they are dealing with magic and related themes, such as blazing witchfires and the spirit of heathendoom. What I can enjoy are the guitars to the greatest extend. In their variety maybe comparable to Aggaloch, however the can not reach the excellence of that US band. What I dislike are the male and female vocals. Although both fit into the narration/tracks I simply do not like the sound of the voices. All in all it has a few highlights, but it has too many points which leave me unsatisfied. Experimental metal with a slight black metal influence.

Man thinking about what has become of this project hailing from Monaco just pisses me off. The drum computer is the weakest part of this release. The rest however sounded promising and making you want more of Godkillers strangly happy yet grim and evil hymns. Those who have heard any of the shitty material released as follow up albums should at least get this album. It is good black metal with akward synths worked in. Fitting to the title it is majestic and triumphant with a weird feeling to it.

Yes, this shows it one more time! The underground releases can kick the major label's releases in the ass. This being a one man army hailing from Poland fitting being published through Battle Hymn Productions. Hahaha, this album has a total of four intros and one outro, a cover song and just three actual hymns. Strange a full length album on the first look, but a mCD on the second one. Anyways the actual songs blow a very cold and refreshing black metal storm into your face. The production is underground yet very listenable. The music is basically old school black metal, however I will not draw any comparisons because this stuff is great and can stand all by itself. It is fast and violent, with a nice way of placing breaks into the structures. I have been so fucking tired of Slayer's Black Magic, because I have seen close 5oooo bands play it, BUT hearing it done by Goetia...man speaking of Slayer being brutal. The drums sound like they are a bit too fast, making it appear to be moving and pushing forward. Great album, look out for more.

Ha, here we have it a release by the legendary Malicious Records. True, evil, Norwegian black metal which can also be played a low volume levels. This release is very grim and starts off right away with the typical style of the good old days. Straight forward in your face with spikes and swords. One minor thing which is at times not good sounding to my ear are the rateher high vocals. Of course the are raw and actually excellent, but at times they sound like a mad Donald Duck. Anyways, the past has spawned many great releases, this is one of them.

The sin of Satan is the sign of Gorgoroth. Reading the line up around Infernus will show you that back then there were just a few great dark warriors who appeared on almost every album, helping out each other. Regarding the vocals I think there is an improvement compared to Pentagram. Much more variety and even clean vocals which have become a constant part for this band. Certainly not the proud viking type of clean vocals but these killer, short passages. Antichrist is soundwise much like Pentagram, but musicwise a bit different. Some elements like solos are worked in. But overall like the Pentagram tracks very old schoolish in the superb black and white design.

Hahaha, what happens if Infernus goes to Toys'r'us? He buys one of those plastic drum sets for children and beats the shit out of the snare on the first two tracks of the next Gorgoroth album. Honestly the first two tracks have a very dominant snare, which sounds really sharp and sorta dry. But man, this entire album is fucking evil. Elements which were heard on the previous two albums have improved so much that this is 100% raw fucking black metal. As you know they are sometimes albums of which you can not get tired of. Under the Sign is one of those, probably simply because the definition of black metal fits: GRIM, DARK AND EVIL!!!!

What the fuck is that....shit??? After skipping through the tracks I was not going to buy this album until a fellow fiend of the black arts mentioned that Destroyer is actually pretty damn devestating. Alright there are lots of strange synth sounds and on first listening it will probably turn you away. Give it a try and you will experience the power of this album, which is nothing short of total chaos and annihilation, afterall the title deserves a certain madness. The vocals are partially distorted sounding, but all in all the songs are fucking raw and chaotic. With every album I heard by this band I was more and more into it. Up to this point I was speaking highly of Under the Sign, but Destroyer continues where the previous album had left off, and even exeeds the amount of killer black metal even more. Well, maybe the Incipit album is not bad either,......this one is a victorious infernal legion for sure.

Alright, the polish project should be known to some by now. I listened to this after it was being covered by dust for a long time. It starts very promising. What I noticed was the original sound of the drum's crash, cymbal, ride, etc. The are played at a slower speed, thus the sound is deeper. I thought yes that is pretty cool. Under the circumstances that this album contains just two tracks for a combined length of approximately 24 minutes, I think that it gets boring quickly. Furthermore the vocals are too weak for my taste. In the beginning Impaler's is able to capture my attention, but the problem I have with this album is that it just flows by without moving anything inside of me. So, this is black metal which just earns a regular, an average result.

This band features a musician who is probably better known for his cover artworks on numerous albums: Necrolord! Well, a total of eleven tracks are included on this album. Just by reading the track titles you would immediatly know that these recordings are based and spawned by blasphemy. The sound is, how else could it be, very good. I figured Necrolord would be involved with some black metal band, but these guys perform old school death. May be comparable to old At the Gates with a faster pace and the awesome US band Sadistic Intent. Each of the songs is filled with a variety of thrashy death riffs. The strongest parts are towards the end of this album. He who wants sick soloes and an overdose of the above mentioned comparisons, should like this blasphemous embrace.

Hmmm, that this is a rip off band is obvious. Making it this obvious is strange. I guess taking guitar lessons with the great members of Slayer, Kreator, Sodom would result in such an album. Heavy thrash attack with a professional production. If you do not mind having another 80ies sounding album in your collection and enjoy shouting along the easy to memorize chorus than this is a good way to get what you need. Afterall with a little knowledge we all know that song titles like TORMENTOR always promised good old thrash. However, do not expect any new ideas, 100% rip off...as usual if something is not broken, do not fix it!

Sometimes I do not see why certain bands appear as proud vikings composing one hymn after another and all of a sudden their cover, booklet shows part of the universe and puts them into the mystic uniform of the planets. I dislike the title, I did not give a fuck for the so called millenium. Furthermore I can say right away that I enjoyed any of the previous material much more than this album. Soundwise there is nothing new, the production is as always very good. As we know it the clean male vocals appear once more. One of my fav lines out of the lyrics...Insignificant to me you are!!! So what is wrong with this album? Some of the guitar works just flow right by, and sound like some dumb rhythmic structures. However, since it is still easily to recognize that this has been released by Hades (meaning the album starts killer with an intro followed by a fucking great Hades like hymn!). So in my opinion they are degraded from being a killer viking band to a slightly above average "reach for the stars" band.

One of the older releases when Helheim was a very promising band. I guess this is what I expect of a Viking album. It should be majestic/epic with an original touch of northern pride. The vocals are very raw, ranging from female like shrieks, overdone in a suitable fashion, to thoughtful moments. Okay, so there are some female vocals and other clichee instruments,...this release is mostly fast and one of the better releases when it comes to performing the usual black/viking arts with a unique interpretation. Although this is not an appropiate comparison I would say that it can easily keep up with the more popular band Enslaved (certainly nowadays, but also with what they did back then). What kinda sucks is the cheap picture in the booklet. Take a regular scanned picture and increase the size, lovely pixels are the result.

Released in 1997. This should be mentioned because this band also saw good and bad days. What can I say of northern lineage it is indeed, but should it be proud due to this fact? Out of these seven tracks there is maybe one or two I totally like. Big compliment for the drumming. This is one technical and capable drummer. What I do not get is, why bands play those anal rhytm guitars and lame slow parts. They have shown on this album that they can play fast and original, but these parts are so rare that I will not listen to this album in the next months. It was only partially able to still my hunger for extreme music. Since I can not recommend it I won't even bother to put any effort in describing it more.

Can it get any more "pseudo" evil than these tracks? Back then it must have been shocking, for this pre Celtic Frost stuff is very raw and sloppy. Triumph contains a shitload of tracks, more than 10, yes more than 15, yep keep going...somehow every track starts sounding the same. Man if you want some really primitive and bad sounding piece of metal history get it, but beware HELLHAMMER is just for hellhammer maniacs. I know only very few who like this album. Calling myself an old school believer I find it hard really listening to this album. Sorta like a really bad Darkthrone/Celtic Frost band which improvises as they go along the songs. Hahaha killer band shots...

A release just for Hellhammer maniacs. Soundwise it is improved a bit since the Triumph days. Still it sounds a bit chaotic and of course primitve, but by far more enjoyable than the pre released tracks. The overall sound experience is better, thus could appeal to my ears easier. Besides that I do not see much difference of Hellhammers first two releases. Always remember: Hellhammer is for Hellhammer Maniacs only!!!

Uhhh, what I thought Hellhammer would always have a bad sound and not really song ideas? Hahaha, this album is bar far the best and comes closer to an actual overall satisfying release. The sound is better and each track can now better listened to. So if there is an album I can recommend by this band it is this one. Massacra for example inspired Peter Tätgren and his The Abyss project to make a killer cover version of it. Raids wraps itself into the true fashion of satanic heavy metal. Not comparable to anything else which might be called metal, as in Slayer, etc. Celtic Frost naturally comes the closest.

May I introduce you these guys as being Swedish death metal executers? I do not know what happened to this band. They have changed their name at some point. Which is kinda sad, because they not just hail the possessed, their are possessed. On this album are recordings from different times. The first half sounds pretty raw with the old school swedish distortion, while the second half sounds a bit less brutal but more mature. Naturally it is the first half which appeals to me most. It starts out with an acoustic intro, which is not common for what follows afterwards. The guitars with the above mentioned swedish sound play just headbanger riffs along with a heavy dose of brutality. The drumming is also fucking cool. I like it when the drum blend in to push the songs forward. The vocals are not really the down tuned death metal vox, instead more of a slighty low voice - perhaps like Sadistic Intent. The lyrics are keep on a plain blaspheming level. Slaughtering people, blasphemy and a mighty fuck you...great album!

Having read that Hollenthon use a lot of Middle-Eastern flavor in their stuff, I never checked out this band's debut CD, "Domus Mundi". A friend bought this new CD, however, and I admit being fucking blown away. I've heard some compare the metal 'backbone' of Hollenthon to In Flames, and I have to agree that's a good comparison -it's down-tuned and mid-paced, well-produced melodic death metal. Before you naysayers stop reading altogether, know that Hollenthon also utilizes some of the best arrangements and symphonic elements ever heard. By symphonic, I mean sounding like real horns and real choirs, I shit you not. It sounds like this band hired an actual orchestra to adorn their metal. The result is just awesome; virutally cinematic. Check out the 'Bolsheviks-charging' choir of "Thy Kingdom Shall Come", and you'll see what I mean! Admittedly, Schirenc's growls can sound a little thin at times, but the music is so killer that one hardly notices. This may be my favorite album of the year...

Hhahahaha, what is this, a CD with almost a hundred tracks???? Alright, so it is slightly over 20 songs on this album. Have not seen something like that since I achieved Hellhammer's first release. This already brings it close to what these short tracks sound like. A Hellhammerish-Darkthrone like ultra raw sound, close to being the winner of the is this a fucking joke award. Besides that is not possible to hear any single instruments in this noise cluster, the bass is very dominant. If you say fuck the sound I want filth, then you will certainly get 100% of it. Track 10 and 19 are my absolut favs. Although each and every one follows strictly the primitve path of writting guitar riffs, these two are absofuckinglutely truely evil. First time the production and the fact that every track ends like the one before, as in someone turns of the recording machine, scared me off but listening to it again made me graving for another album with hopefully a better sound.

Although this review is about Immolation's new release, it's going to be a kind of "compare review". We're going to take a look at the differences between this one and "Failures For Gods". Although the previous CD's mood was definitely evil in nature, it lacked the more defined sense of malevolence that the new one achieves. Take "Father You're Not A Father" (off of the new one), for example. Unlike, for instance, "Once Ordained" (from "Failures.."), it delivers a strike of malifluous heaviness while maintaining a surge of chaotic technicality matched by few. Another lesson in violence taught by the "foursome from New York", is a supreme brilliant effort on drums by Alex Hernandez. His timing with guitarists Vigna and Wilkinson, coupled with their immaculate syncopation, leave the senses flayed and a fan's love for death metal never betrayed! Needless to say, the gifted guitar work is only accentuated by the sinister lyrics, ones that have the balls to say "Satan will swallow your head, motherfucker!". Unlike other bands, they aren't afraid to hail the Horned One! In closing, i'd just like to state that if you haven't either of Immolation's 2 latest releases, every effort should be made to acquire them. Extremely well-played, seismic death metal --Immolation.

Once upon a time when the moon was standing high and full above the scandinavian black metal community, there were many great albums. Immortal having put out three killer albums in a row, starting with Fullmoon. Of course the drumming is still fast, I fell that it is overall slower but better. It might be because a touch of underground is still there. Listening to this album creates a totally different atmosphere than the better known white album. Anyhow, no one who likes black metal should hesitate to get any of the first three releases. Unholy and blaspheming northern darkness at its best.

Ha, now that is the second album in the trilogy of pure fucking metal. Holocaust is a lot faster sounding than the previous album, and more brutal than Battles or Fullmoon. The song titles are great, which is based on their overlength names. I guess Holocaust is fucking intense and can be compared to the follow up release. Since it is everything black metal should be like, there needs nothing to be added.

Well I am a dumb fuck and do not like this magnificent piece of northern darkness...of course I do. Is there anyone who does not know this excellent album? Not just the unmistakable Immortal like vox, but also those short acoustic passages are on here. The mostly white design of this album suits the music perfectly. Cold, frostic, harsh black metal performed by the self proclaimed sons of northern darkness. This is probably the last album which ended the reign of Immortal's superior reign. The last and third album of the must have trilogy (Fullmoon, Holocaust and Battles)

Alright, so it is difficult to overdo and album which has already set a very high expectation. While the title of this album is simply damn fucking cool, it promises a bit too much. It is good that Immortal can still be recognized in these recordings, which can not be taken for granted anymore (just see what all others of the great scandinavian bands are doing). The vox are once again, what everyone who has heard them before, would expect. The major difference here is the sound. While all other releases before Beasts had a very thick and powerful sound, this album is sorta thin, especially the drums need more kick and heaviness. The guitar sound is also not the best ever presented by this band. In addition I feel a slight change of musical ideas. One half sounds like it has been written by Morbid Angel, concerning their newer material, and the other follows in the same way Battles has left off. An okay album, but not the strongest one released by Immortal.

No not In Flames it is In Battle...a band which is unmistakably influenced by the so called ineffable kings of darkness, Dark Repitious as Hell Funeral. About 80% remind me of this band due to its speed and grinding parts. Another album which comes to mind is Satyricons Nemesis Divina and Blizzard Beasts by Immortal. Meaning that certain riffs are a bit more death metallish, or somewhat melodic as it appears on Nemesis. It holds the same speed as Dark Funeral but is a little bit different due to more musical ideas. The album is too long for my taste, and to be honest it does not blow me away. My last comment: Fast but average!

CAUTION, these bastards drink lots of beer, extend their middle finger to greet you and love thrash metal. That results in another rip off band like Guillotine and Demoniac (Stormblade) and Cranium. As always, what such an album needs are speed, soloes, screamy vocals and a heavy dose of hammer ons, pull offs or for those who like plain words: riffs you have heard before. Since Infernö tried real hard and it is simply a freaking listening pleasure I can not get around loving this album. Headbanger hymns accompanied with a good production and old school feeling. Guitars with feedback and oh so evil lyrics will execute the satanic overkilllllll...

Man, first no one knew this band and all of a sudden the Fenriz advertising came up and everyone praised Isengard. On here are three chapters for a total of sixteen songs. It is sort of a best of album ranging from 1989 til 93, meaning demo stuff, etc. of this Tolkien inspired project. Alright, the production is of course not better than most of todays demos, in addition the music is not better than most of todays demos. Vinterskugge is old school until the end. These three chapters sound all musicwise different, one is black metalish, the other death influenced, etc. To be honest I do not think that this is worth having in every collection. Certainly there are highligths, but know were I say WOW that is killer...

Having the infamous Fenriz/Satyr journey into the norwegian mountain side picture on front, this promises a better album than Vinterskugge. Soundwise you can expect something close to the traditional Darkthrone like rawness. What has improved is not just the quality of the overall presentation, but also the music and vocals. Being at first clean, sounding like a drunk viking, it turns to black metal grimness at the end. Most of these seven tracks are viking hymns with a bit of celtic frost like heaviness, as in it grooves man. While the last few are total black metal assaults which can only be played by the infamous Fenriz. Why would the last track have been titled Total Detah, look what one of the regular Darkthrone releases has been called. This album is by far more recommendable due to its much improved quality. Good old school metal!

Do you like Bathory's "Hammerheart"? How about the "Immortal Pride" CD by Graveland? Well, all niceties aside, this is a 3rd rate cousin of those albums. I get the feeling that "Riddle of Steel" would have been a great demo, but not quite a killer debut album. What you get is about 10% audible 'metal riffs' (VERY much in the heavy-metalish vein of "Hammerheart"), with the rest being thick synth/choirs. Don't get me wrong, the layered composition of the keyboards is quite good (except for the "Conan the Barbarian" soundtrack ripoff in the title song, shame!), it's just that I like hearing a larger percentage of distorted guitar when I listen to a metal album. I might even dare say that Juvenes should convert to an all synth project ala Mortiis. Conclusion, another rather average/fair CD from No Colours...

Hmmm, I do not understand why certain individuals are always named by the scene. I am uncertain what to think of some people. Judas Iscariot is a one man project, formerly from the US. This release features a session hammer (drummer). Overall I can say right away that the production is semi professional, and thus raw. Soundwise I draw comparisons to Gaahlskagg, especially the Hi Hat has that somewhat annoying, yet cool sound. A strong point of this band is the spirit captured in these tracks. No synths or lovely clean vocals provide this atmosphere. Somehow the riffs seem to say listen up I am not background music. Then again Judas Iscariot claims to be more than just music,…too bad I do not know Akhenaten in person I am curious if people like that are merely saying things! So just speaking for the music: excellent “atmospheric” black metal.

Ah yes, I remember the day this album came out and when i read one of the first interviews with this band. I remember the time when I first heard this album. Well actually there is only one thing to be mentioned it is released through Malicious Records.... Kampfar, if I remember corrrrrectly is an old scandinavian battle cry, which is perfect for this band. A large variety in vocals speaks for this album, as well as perfectly executed viking hymns. What else should be said, a sure investment for followers of both black and viking influenced paths.

While Mellom was presented in a cold nothern icy athmosphere, both design and music wise, Fra Underverdenen appears in dark forest green. What I fucking like about this band is that they have a very original guitar riffing. These tracks are filled with great "dancing", maybe folk influenced ideas. I fucking love most of this album, that I could play it in a circle because it flies by really fast. However, I have already noticed in the past that Kampfer likes to experiment a bit. Unfortunately, the have picked up the didgeridoo trend, which boomed some time ago...back then you went outside and everywhere you saw hippies and their likes blowing on wooden tubes. So there are some parts where this shitty instrument can be heard. These parts are very few, thus I can only say do not get to experimental, because the rest is great fucking shit!

Krisiun's first for Century Media, "Conquerors of Armageddon" makes me think of the cliche "These guys are big now, so they're starting to wimp out". Don't get me wrong, the blastbeats and neck-snapping rolls are still intact, but the music seems somehow more restrained. Just look at 2:20 of "Cursed Scrolls" -the song is blasting in fine form, only to halt for an unnecessary (and frankly weak) melodic break/solo. This would not have appeared on say, "Black Force Domain", which was send-you-straight-to-Hell brutal. More mid-paced sections and melodic leads add to the tamer experience. This one is less manic, more easily digested. Although production in general has improved (i.e. superb, solid guitar sound), Max Kolesne's toms have suffered. His amazing rolls are flattened into the background. And let's face it; Max's contribution is paramount to the overall sound of the band (along with the stellar leads, of course). Although it seems like I have trashed this CD, I still think it's worthy of your Krisiun dollars. Just the fact of Krisiun being one of my favorite bands has made me ultra-critical...

All of a sudden there are massive number of releases by so called right winged black metal bands. The Nazi movement mostly hailing from Poland has invested their political themes with black metal, FUCK THAT! Black metal is based on Occult roots! Furthermore I am not sure if truely am the lucky aryan number 181 to get a copy of this limited edition. What really sucks is that most of the time a heavy synth line runs along the underground produced raw black metal. If it were not for this lousy idea to use a synth this strong it would have been a good black metal underground release. Besides the synth and the trendy SS ideology I think it is enjoyable. But since they decided to fuck it up with thiese two influences I consider it only worth buying for listerners who do not mind a raw production and an overdose of lousy synth lines.

I must admit that this DAMN FUCKING GREAT! This album is amongst my all time favorites. These six tracks have grown on me like a fucking fungus on your scrotum. Kvist is using the traditional ideas of black metal along with a few synth lines, but none of that dumb ass melody shit. The sound is fucking great, I am not sure if it just the awesome riffing or the freaking sound which bathes this album in the light of unholy grimness. Truely raw with fast and slow parts, but 100% killer grimness through. I FUCKING LOVE IT, KVIST RULES,...however these assholes are not around anymore. Fuck you for splitting up and rest in the past! Refer to Urgehal to see what has become of one of the part time members.

There's a very good reason why this is such a loved and coveted album by black metal enthusiasts. It is simply awesome. It is, in some ways, comparable to Satyricon's "The Shadowthrone" (albeit 3 times as intense and mysterious), and "For Kunsten..." is one of those essential dark, forgotten masterpieces. A smooth and raw guitar sound buzzes under a floating carpet of basic atmospheric synth lines. This provides a dense, distant feeling. Near whispered raspy vox (like a more subdued Satyr) add to the enveloping cryptic nature. This is one of those few discs that is not just black metal, but a work of art as well. Music for contemplation in rainy and moss-encrusted woods.

Right away I have to complain about the colorful and overcrowded booklet. Daylight pictures with cows in the background show me that you do not take black metal serious for what it stands. Looking at the booklet also shows that it is not traditionel black metal, but one of those party bands. Nothing against tons of alcohol and speaker damaging loud metal music, but in such a case I do not take the music serious. The production is very cheap and raw. Sounds good for the faster grinding parts. At times the guitars slow down and play single chords/notes, during this time you hear how fucking cheesy the sound is. Imaging Mickey Mouse converted in distortion. In addition there are some parts where it sounds like these guys sat down and recorded while one of the guys was fucking around on the guitar, while the rest took a break. The actual tracks sound very old schoolish and are very close to cult acts from the early scandinavian scene. But too many things bother me about this album which contains good black metal with a cheap but raw production and no spirit.

Since I am not capable of understanding these scandinavian lyrics I presume by the looks of the design that we are dealing here with a Viking inspired band. To make it short: great fucking sound, killer vocal patterns, melodic but fucking grim and cold riffs, fast drum beats and some surprises provided by female vocals and other non electric instruments. I go as far as comparing this to the brilliant masterpice namely Mork Gryning's "Tusen..."! One huge mistake was to pack this album full with eleven tracks. In the middle it starts, like so many other album, to bore me. However, the opener is a very promising track and I shall listen to this again for several times.

Going back to the year of '96 when this band was not just reduced to the two kings of Czech black metal. After a sweet intro they are romping through enemy lines in the old school fashion of raw sound and mostly fast grimness. On this album are two bonustracks, one being live and the other with studio sound. Sorry, but the live track is unnecessary due to its lousy sound. What speaks highly for Lucan is the fact that the great underground atmosphere is embedded in these tracks. If you are able to get this album I would not hesitate...

This album is MB's 1998 assault. The sound is still pretty raw but goes more into the professional studio sound. Compared to Lucan it has changed, but both are two good sounding albums. The tradition goes on musicwise, the same style, which of course is fast black metal. The vocals are recognizable as in certain vocals, for example Immortal, have their own characteristics. Thus Barbarud has stayed the same thoughout the years. The album begins with a fade in, which brings to mind Immortal's good days. However, these two bands can merely slightly be compared. Anyways, good black metal worth checking out.

The annual release goes on with Invaze 1999. For a change was not enough time, the sound stayed the same just like the previous album. The riffing, the vocals, pretty much everything reminds of Cerna Kreb. Certainly that is not a bad thing. Invaze suffers a bit due to some rather akward ideas. Towards the end are some tracks where I ask myself if the ran out of ideas, or just wanted to try something a bit different than their usual fast black metal approach. One riff for example is very heavy and brings images of Brooklyn tough guy music to my mind. Yes it is heavy and it grooves, but is not what I would have expected. Well important is that I sorta like it. Another track sounds like they are drunk with a very unlike guitar riff. I do not see the point of this track and always skip it. The first handful of tracks are as great as those of Cerna Kreb, so I would suggest to get their prev album first.

This one goes way back to the old days of Amrduk. A mCD which contains three tracks of which the first is an intro. Interesting to see that several bands started out as death metal bands before the turned towards black metal. Although it is performed in their own style it is comparable the older works of At the Gates and maybe Darkthrones Soulside. So this peaceful piece is something more for old school swedish death lunatics than raw black metal freaks. Nevertheless I am satiesfied with this album. Short but good.

Still noticable is the death metal influence. The drumming is great and gets my attention more than the guitar riffs. By the way which gives it more of the uncommon black death metal touch is the fact that the guitars play some sweet solos here and there. Okay this album has certainly some highlights but mostly I consider it average. Since it dates back to the early 90ies, hahah remember back than everything was released by Osmose Productions, it is a good album which is able to capture my attention for some time before it moves more into the background again. Not bad but not fucking special either.

By now Marduk has turned completely into a black metal beast. Opus Nocturne grinds its way through the chilly night eventually slowing down for the title track and then speeding up at the end for my two favorite tracks. The drumming is great, reminding me in sound and playing style of the toms of the brutal Pleasure to Kill album by Kreator. Just a minor bad thing is the Dark Funeral syndrome, as in the songs are great and fucking fast but lack a bit due to repitiousness. Ah fuck it, it is fast with killer drums, grinding guitar riffs and icy cold vocals, what else do you want? Grim band shots with spikes and leather??? Well it is in there!

As of late, lots of black metal fans have been slagging Marduk over their last few albums for doing the same stuff again and again. To me, however, Marduk seemed to be getting better and better. "Nightwing" had great fast songs and slower Bathory-like moments, and "Panzer Division Marduk" seemed a culmination in the quality of their speed obsession. I somehow knew that "La Grande Danse Macabre" would be a return to variation, and perhaps even some experimentation. The slow and somewhat feeble instrumental, "Ars Moriendi", opens the CD, --not exactly a good start. The second track, "Azrael", picks up in Marduk's speedy fashion, although not as inspired as in the past. The third song is another slow instrumental! At this point, I'm beginning to wonder if these guys are running out of ideas. The rest of the CD is like a poor-man's "Nightwing", with a mixture of fast and slow tracks. Throwaway riffs, like at :50 in "Bonds of Unholy Matrimony", have me wondering if this is the same band that created "Panzer Division". Not a good CD, or a piece of shit either, it's just kind of there. Another one of the greats has grown tired, I concur...

This release is a split between MORBID, the former band of DEAD and MAYHEM. The fucking highlight on here are definetly the Morbid tracks which are killer filthy songs combining thrash at high speeds with black metal. The vocals are damn fucking special and always good for a surprise. Dead surely was one crazy fuck. After 4 Morbid tracks three Mayhem songs end the excellent split album. Not just a collectors item, since the mere greatness makes it listenable. Oh by the way the sound is also very good. Worship the old days and get one!!!

The line up: Maniac, Necro Butcher, Euronymous, Manheim and Messiah! What a weird intro, must have been very proud to have this great knowledge about how to use their FX rack. The usual Mayhem, remember this is the true Mayhem stuff, is of course very raw, chaotic and yes pure fucking armageddon. Great to hear the thrash influences in these recordings. Also the Venom cover Witching Hour is killer. Have it or not, a question which answers the improtant question of having heard Mayhem or being a trendy fuck and thus owning The Grand Declaration...

Ahhhhh, I have deleted my first review for this live album!!!! Haha do not think the second will be more positive. I refered to Slayers awesome first live release. That album captures a good sound but more important the spirit a that event, you can hear how the audience goes fucking apeshit. This Mayhem live release, might be valuable for those who were present at the concert, but to me it is useless. JUST A COLLECTORS ITEM!!!

The most popular album of Mayhem, which has reached cult status. The riffing is by far one of the best works ever to be done by Mayhem. The atmosphere provided by De Mysteriis comes very close to a freezing funeral march. I guess he who does not like this release does not like black metal, a must have in every collection simply because it has become a legendary release.

Here is another pagan influenced band hailing from the country which is known for its great bands,...yes Germany, (hahahaha or don't you know DNS, sorry....)Anyways having heard one of their tracks on a sampler I decided to get this album. I have no fucking clue what they sound like nowadays, simply because these 8 tracks were not to my liking. I find the mostly average at best. Most parts are fucking lame and something I can not deal with. Ok one or two tracks are enjoyable, those are the faster ones. The vocals are partially clean and black metallish. When will people ever learn that synth can be used in a good way and in a hilarious one...Menhir has not learned it, at least not on this album. I would not buy this album again.

Dreaming Ice and snoring. Okay, this album is from 1994 and features the typical Swedish dark melodic influences. Sorry, even the old stuff is too slow and boring for my taste. Maybe it is a bit like newer Tiamat. What speaks for it is the production, and one or two short highlights, but before I listen to this album again there will pass much time. For our lovely romantic gothic GAY lovers I can recommend this. Okay it sounds like a bad statement but real Death, Black, Thrash Metal fans won't like this one!

Like "Formulas Fatal to the Flesh", I heard mixed reviews with this one. Friends of mine were in disagreement. "Yeah man, it's fucking heavy and dark", or "it's alright I guess, not as many solos though". Having heard the disc many times over, I find that I like it. The production is a return to the style of their "Domination" album, that is, thick guitars and synthetic-sounding drums. "Gateways.." is dark and plodding, and 90% is either at a mid or slow pace. I was constantly reminded of the vibe of their classic song "God of Emptiness", particularly on the crushing track, "The One Who Sleeps" (this will break your ribcage!!). As before, I don't really care for Erik Rutan's sugary solos, but the mastermind Mr. Azagthoth once again amazes with his ingenius cthonian leads. Some of the fastest double bass ever can be heard in the song "Opening of the Gates", but the sound of the drums overall is, like mentioned above, too clinical. This time, everything is obviously triggered, and it all sounds very fake. The dreaded 'drum machine' comparison almost comes to mind (ala Gayhammer on latter Mayhem recordings). Despite that beef, "Gateways to Annihilation" comes across as a deadly, esoteric, and gloomy piece of death metal.

Consider this band to be Mayhemic Truth -only with a different name- as it is comprised of the same members. Whereas Mayhemic Truth took their inspiration from the first 2 Bathory CDs, Morrigan sound much more influenced by the high-speed, monotonous thrash of "Blood Fire Death". Around 70% of the songs are in this vein, and they can get a little sameish. 2 of the 10 tracks, however, are in the mid-paced style of Bathory's "Blood On Ice"/"Twilight of the Gods". These are my favorite, as here Beliar's Gorgoroth-style vocals are accompanied by epic 'viking' choirs. One other thing that I really like about "Plague Waste and Death" is the genuinely heavy sound it has - the CD is much thicker than your standard BM fare. All in all, a solid underground black metal addition to your collection (especially if you're a big Bathory fan!). Hopefully, Morrigan will include more of the viking-style stuff next time.

Mortician's newest effort "Domain of Death" begins with their immutable style of "the sample", followed by the sounds of their further detuned guitar and bass. The barrage of bludgeoning drums and skullcrushing grinds are the usual Mortician fare. However, a closer listen will reveal a slight change in the speed of the grinds --they are actually faster. Not to mention the slow to mid-paced parts, which this time around, believe it or not, are rather "different" sounding. It's kind of difficult to describe the difference. It has a sort of modern or 'fresh' feel to it. Not in some gay or 'groove metal' way, but a more 'new-way-of-being-slow-and-evil' kind of way. Anyway, the WHOLE disc kicks major ass! And of course, one can't forget OR overlook the neanderthalic-megabrutal vox of Will Rahmer! Fuck! He sounds like what a Cro-Magnon man probably sounded like! Damn! And let me tell you, Mortician does us justice with the samples, from "Dr. Medractenson" to the torture chamer, Will and Roger do not disappoint. And as far as their live performance, it too leaves little to be desired... And if any of you think for an instant that the drums might suffer..fear not! They don't! Roger's drum playing is great. Extremely fluid, fast, and precise. The only thing one might complain about is the speed on the slow parts --they're too fast! Slow down, Roger! But what can you say, except "fuck it"! They're Mortician - buy or die ignorant! Faggot!

Australia, hmmm I am not really eager to check this band out. In the old days of Cruor we had to trash pretty much every release from down under. Some projects however could convince us that not everything damn fucking sucks. This three piece is one of them. Darkness comes as a mCD with an underground sound, which means that it is not recorded in Grieghallen but every instrument can clearly be heard. The drumming provided by Moloch is not bad. Not too technical but nicely straight forward performed. Arcanum Anima has been placed in charge of the vocals. A few specific parts remind me of the Ancient vocals on Svartalvheim. Overall I am very satiesfied with this underground black metal release, it has some death metal influences, which are too weak to be called real death metal but fit to their style. What speaks against it are certain parts like the solo towards the end of track number four, could you please play a bit cheesier!!!

Going back to the grim year of 94 into the dark dungeons of Mortiis. Anden is not just by appearance, but also soundwise one of the darker releases. Crypt for examples contains some rather joyful moments, which are great but this previous release is simply dark. The design is kept in a dark, washed out purple. Of course the master himself is pictured a few times with pointy ears and huge spikes. Let it be know that only synth sounds reach the ears of the listener out of the dungeons. Great material, very atmospheric, its path leads straight into a realm which can open whole new worlds, or at least help to step over the threshold.

I guess everybody has heard at one point or another of this strange elve, or what ever he claims to be. I guess after his days with Emperor were over, he began his journey into pure synth music. What I fucking enjoy is that he has kept it in a cold dark and mystic touch. Crypt continues where the previous release had left off, thus the first two tracks are in the same dark "dungeon" fashion. However, some tracks sound more mysterious and somewhat "happy". Of course not shiny happy, but more friendly. Certain parts somehow bring marching dwarfs into my mind. I salute Mortiis and his works for being original and mesmerizing.

Man, all of a sudden every scandinavian has these dumb skull pants. Sorry Mortiis, while I really liked the previous designs of your albums, this one is lame. The cover truly reminds of a popular novel, the color inside the booklet almost makes me puke, and at last the CD itself lets you appear rather funny. Alright, maybe you were not able to design it yourself , so what about the music? Well, it shows similarities partially to Crypt of…, while this album appears very commercial I am still capable to get into the music…if it were not for the female vocals. On previous albums there were vocal like parts, but those only rare and hard to understand. This time, Stargate features a female vocalist which does the same enoying chanting for almost every track. To freaking bad, the parts strictly synthetic are once more good, but the heavy usage of female vocals is too annoying for my taste. Overall The Stargate is alright, but I prefer any of the previous stuff!

Would you like to hear a deadtime story, it goes back one thousand years and guess what: Death is Real and Everything does Die!!! Shit I fucking love this album. On one side it should be all trendy with its use of synth and melodies, but no other band has ever done it in such a crushing arctic cold brutality. If my translator was not mistaken then this album deals with a great battle which takes place up in the abodes of heaven. The lyrics are fucking great, thus the vocals even better. Ahh fuck, I missing the words I FUCKING LOVE IT,....just get this piece which comes close to an all devastating furious blizzard. The riffs are technical and sorta melodic, the drums mostly very fast, damn this is a fucking beast....no wonder the beast is unleashed again!

The follow up album of these Swedish lunatics. Man, why is this album promoted with peace, love and understanding...is it because Return Fire is not a worthy follow up of the magnificent Tusen??? This material is still fucking fast, but sounds like they ran a bit out of their brilliant ideas. Alright here and there are still these killer guitar riffs, which convinced through their harsh coldness. Now it is all more straight forward and hits you directly in the groin. Not bad, but nothing compared to the masterpiece Tusen ar..., on here is a Slayer cover,...all this album shows is that they can play their instruments but I fucking miss Mörk Grynings originality...not bad, not good.

After taking some time off, Mork Gryning returns with their third output. In my opinion the debut TUSEN has been their best work up to date. Even Maelstrom, which goes strongly in the same direction as TUSEN did, can not top the very first release. Their skills have improved, as now they provide several unexpected surprises. For instance, the first track starts off a la TUSEN, comes to an acoustic part leading you into some true metal soloes...!?!?! The album lacks a little halfway through, but gets better towards the end. The ideas sound much better than the more straight forward second album, but not as fresh and cold as TUSEN. However, those not afraid of the new look of the band (!!!) can certainly check this release out. Fast, metal melodic, and also partially grim.

My Dying Bride is one of those few bands that, after making some ill-fated experiments, return to the form of their early efforts. Make no mistake, this isn't as heavy or deathly as "As the Flower Withers", but it is decent stuff. A crisp production (though not Abyss-Studios-crisp thankfully) and quite frequent use of growls/death-doom parts keep me happy pretty much throughout the whole CD. The piano break in "The Raven and the Rose" is worth the price of the whole album, as it is played with so much poignant emotion. My biggest beef is with Aaron Stainthorpe's clean vocals. His off-key whining can really get on my nerves, and they make understandable sometimes banal lyrics like, "I only wanted to get you close to me, to feel the love inside of me, you turned away from me, you looked the other way..". The singing is perhaps a substantial complaint, but the music's unpredictable, yet catchy nature makes up for it. "The Dreadful Hours" is recommended to those who enjoy lighter forms of melodic doom/death.

Right away, this is the GERMAN band. What happens if some people start experimenting with new elements which could be added to the traditional black metal? Right, a dancefloor meets metal album. One third of this album is electronic music. Not techno, trance or any of that crap, well imagine what it would sound like if headbangers try to make sinister electronic music. The other third is surprisingly fast black metal, with traditional raw vox (by the way not the best or most original). The last third is too boring and emotional. The vocals are both clean and screamy. Spoken passages are also in there, but all of the above can not really make this a good album for me. I love old school metal Srontgorrth is too far away from that to satisfy me.

Legions of black metal fans can't be wrong. Nargaroth's "Herbstleyd" is one of the most monumental black metal recordings ever. This was the impression that I got wherever I read about this CD. Naturally, I was expecting nothing but the best. I looked everywhere for "Herbstleyd" in the US, even getting my second choice a couple of times when I ordered it. When I finally got the CD in my greedy hands, I knew I now owned the disappointment of the year. "Herbstleyd" is comprised of what seems like about half movie samples and half very basic and lame black metal. Listeners seem enraptured with the lengthy cinematic parts (and credit Nargaroth for creating them), but I think they more than likely came from an underground film. The actual metal parts (sounding like the throwaway riffs of early Graveland, or better yet, Bathory's sophomore CD) are so basic and uninspired that only an idiot could think they were masterworks. Believe me, I love stripped down black metal, but bands like Judas Iscariot eats crap like this for lunch. The only redeeming part of "Herbstleyd" is the Burzum-ish instrumental, "Amarok - Zorn des Lammes", and one track obviously can't make up for over an hour of garbage.

Shetait:

This, being a German project, I am hearing this name very often. What I do not understand is how Kanwulf can release so many below semi professional recordings, shirts, posters, etc and still speak of underground. I am truely sorry,...Herbstleyd appealed to me because certain samples and parts are very powerful. It depends very much on the mood you are in. First time through I liked it,...afterwards it just bored me to death. Speaking of other releases I can say that I just hope it is the idea of his record label and not him. To me they either sounded like rip offs or really bad recordings with a few exceptions. Ok let him do what he wants but I think it is fucking pathetic how the "scene" (consisting of trendies, fags, gay zines, labels and distroes) take the actions of certain musicians to promote it. It works, every lousy fuck will praise it. This is not an anti Nargaroth message but a mighty fuck off to those who follow him because the way he thinks and answers interviews!!! He is laughing behind your back because of your stupidity! Fuck you human beings!

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Nastrond 666
Todeslaut
Shetait:

Hell-O, what is this??? Lyrics about werwolves, dead bones absorbing life again, or in general finally someone who's lyrics are based on an occult, demonic nature. Great!!! The rest of this truely black release is also much to my liking. The drums in peticular are not very technical, which results in some great thrashy drumming partially. Overall, however these thrash parts are rare. Ok vox and drumming are good, guitars??? The sound is on the first listen a bit strange, but blends in for a rather cold and chilly atmosphere. The riffing is interesting, but hard to discribe. One of the last tracks (number 8) sounds like either an arabic or indian song. As far as I understand the lyrics it deals with some being named KALI. Maybe it is taken from some eastern culture, otherwise I do not see why such dumb oriental influenced music should be on Todeslaut. The outro is a female spoken movie sample dealing with vampirism, spoken in German which makes a bit funny to me since it reminds me of bed time story tapes which I listened to when I was a young and dumb kid. Anyways Todeslaut is very original and fucking dark black metal.

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Negura Bunget
Zirnindu Sa
Shetait:

.... I heard about this band as being a translyvanian black metal project. now what is the fucking hype about this band. In my opinion this release is as close to being black metal as let's say any CoF album. Heavy synth lines drown out the other instruments. It is not original and it is not black metal! Why is it not listed on Carrion? Because when the synth lines occasionally stop making the music crappy it is actually average black metal. Thus I do not consider it 100%musical excrements...just 80%. I am not interested in any other releases.

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Niden Div. 187
Towards Judgement
Shetait:

Damn, speaking of fast and mercyless. Hmmm, I guess only getting hit by a panzer division is more devestating. This mCD is very raw and freaking fast. Killer samples like "He was shot in the head uhh and chest, he is lying there on the floor with a gun in his hand. He is still alive...he should have died", make it very intense and brutal. I recall some statement against the black metal scene, which only suits their musical fuck off attitude 100%. If you turn the switch on your automatic rifle so that it reads "PEACE" (as in one billion shots a minute), you come very close to the way Towards Judgement sounds like. Fast and devasting!

Impergium Shetait:

Where is my assault rifle... damn where did I put my stick grenades....(frenzied screams) THIS IS TOO MUCH!!!!! I thought towards judgement was already brutal. The snare of this follow up masterpiece in musical warfare sounds like a chain gun blast. The chords/riffing follow strictly the unique path of Judgement, devestating. The vocals are once again very killer. The only thing that is somewhat missing are the killer samples, some are not easy to understand, while others can easily be determined as the lovely sounds of WAR. The album length has of course improved, as in this is finally a full length, but it runs by to fast. Everytime I listen to this I feel like turning the tank around to destroy everything a new. Great fucking black metal assault.

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Nifelheim
Nifelheim
Shetait:

WHAT IS THIS? Did someone dare to threaten the musical greatness of Bathory's first one or two albums? Man, I am truely overwhelmed by this album. Bathory like riffing, remember the old thrash days on Bathory's very first album. Ultra cool thrash-black attack. Nifelheim is able to compete with any of the older bands. Okay the theme is not a new concept but if something is not fucked up why mess with it, right? ...that was before I listened to it several times! Similarities to Bathory can certainly been drawn, but also present are death metal ideas. The cult status by Bathory stands still unmatched. What begins to bother me concerning Nifelheim is the sound of the guitars, speaking of bleeding ears in a bad way. Nevertheless I think this chaotic black thrash album is very good.

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Nocturnal Rites
In a Time of Blood and Fire
Shetait:

Power Metal as it should be. Heavy metal guitar riffs, with a shitload of harmonies and fast melodic hooklines. A male vocalist who squeezes his balls tightly to scream high pitched. Lyric examples "Sword of Steel must be held up high, sombre shades of death we ride,...". The song structures are easy to follow and the vocals patterns animate to sing along. In a Time tells of warrior tales, plagues and other gruesome stories. The music is performed by very skilled members. Being a fan of traditional power metal it is much to my liking.

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Oberon
Oberon
Shetait:

If any of the albums reviewed in the black shrine is able to be played on any radio station then it is definitely this one. I have no clue why this was listed in an extreme mailorder catalogue. Oberon is very much Depeche Mode influenced. The male vocals are clean through out. The drums are fake, the guitars dark melodic and the use of synths are pretty much always present. Right, if it would be considered metal it should be beaten with the ugly stick. I do no think it was ever intended to be a metal release, that is why I am growing to like it a lot more than the first time I heard it. Some parts, especially that dumb rose for the apocalypse track are too lame. Imagine you have invited that whore from next door over, she is very romantic, but you just want to "beep" her, would you put Kreator's Pleasure to Kill into the stereo? You see there is always the right time for good, dark non metal releases. I would not consider it Gothic either, simply a soft but dark album with clean and melodic distorted guitars.

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Obtained Enslavement
Soulblight
Shetait:

I got curious what Pest, ex vocalist of a certain infamous band, was up to. Well Soulblight can be described as very symphonic black metal. On one hand it is very trendy as in too much synth lines, instead of intense axe grinding on the other it is very sophisticated. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish just what the fuck you are hearing. It creates a gigantic wall of raw sound, several guitar tracks at once, heavy synth lines, good drumming and to make it even more thick somewhere in all of this sound the vocals. While one song starts out in the vein of Darkthrone, the others are very complex. For my taste it is just average, because I simply like guitars in the front, not behind or on the same level as keyboards. To speak for this album, is the fact that the synth sound better than most of the usual frankenstein crap.

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Onslaught
Power from Hell
Shetait:

I did not know that I obtained a legendary album, until someone pointed this out to me. Onslaught certainly a thrash metal band amongst many from the old days. Just one or two are as authentic as this album. Fast, but not grinding or blasting, the drums are always uff-ta, uff-ta. This album has to be great, otherwise the master Lord Satan himself would not have spoken the intro. To make it short but precise: old school 80ies thrash metal. True headbanger tracks which includes the infamous DEATH METAL song. Other songs are called Skullcrusher Part One, Skullcrusher Part Two, so go figure what this album will do....

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Otyg
Sagovindars Boning
Shetait:

No mistake once you hear this, Vintersorg’s main band/project. He is doing the vocals and according to the booklet writes all the music. This album is dedicated to the Scandinavian folk music, art, tales and traditions. Thus, guess what, it is folk influenced. Vintersorgs vocals are just clean (good, the black metallish vox on his self entitled solo project are not very strong). Other members contribute flute melodies, violins and female vocals. Since I do not view this as an extreme metal album I can tolerate the rare female singing. Musicwise I would dare to compare it to the great Isengard! Well, actually Isengard with a better sound and not only filthy riffs. Otyg is easy to swallow and to digest. Some tracks are to happy for me, but others just killer. Very melodic, and experimental, but good. The flute plays at a very high pitch and might cause some pain (I remember speeding down the Autobahn with the stereo cranked up, and this damn flute making me swirl across the lanes). Except for some strange ideas, I can recommend this to those who can enjoy clean vocals throughout and folk/dance music.

Älvefärd Shetait:

Yes, the same great design color as Mortiis Anden Som…dark purple. This lets it already appear better than Sagovindars Boning. Besides that not much has changed. Still dedicated to the Scandinavian this and that. What I like are the drums on both releases, very catchy. What I do not understand why the female member has an udside down pentagram around the neck, is that based on scandinavian traditions. There you have it, nothing has changed so I have to look for some minor details to make an effort to review Älvefärd. Comparing Boning and this album I can say that I like both of them, but somehow prefer Älvefärd. There is something which I can not clearly point out, those who like Vintersorgs self entitled solo project, should definetly check out some of Otyg’s material. Very good folk inspired art!

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Paragon Belial
Hordes of the Darklands
Shetait:

A German band, better said a German underground release from 1995. Andras (ex Bethlehem) did the vox on this black metal album. The sounds is mostly better than a regular demo, well underground so to say. Ralph, master of bainfull compositions, decided to put certain effects on the clean guitars, which unfortunately sound bad, not the effects or the clean ideas but the sound itself. These 8 tracks are not hyperfast but more of a mid paced speed. The vox are good, and not all growls and grunts as it might be guessed based on Dark Metal (Bethlehem). Anyways, some parts reminds me of the great Svartalfheim by Ancient, so I must admit that it is one of the better demos/underground releases out there. To close this review, let me just translate the last sentence of Zahgurim’s Fuck off and die list, I think it speaks for itself and this release: ….Eat Mother Maria’s Shit.

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Possessed
Seven Churches
Shetait:

Hmm, does not one guitarist look an awful lot like a certain Hellhammer member? Hahaha, besides great bandshots there are about seven churches burning, while evil warriors of death metal are burning in hell and the exorcist fails to turn the pentagram into holy hell. At last Satan's curse causes some twisted minds and fallen angels. Hey, there you have all the track titles in a little story. For those shitsniffers who do not understand what that means: thrash metal metldown. A little bit in the vein of Pleasure to Kill. Really intense metal assault, wimps and posers should stay away for it is HEAVY METAL!!!!

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Pyre
Luciferian Dark Age
Shetait:

US underground black metal which in my opinion stands out in between several ok US black metal bands. Pyre is able to bring back the feeling of the good old days, remember back then when a certain extreme music style was pure and untouched by "gothic" influences? This first release comes to my surprise very limited to a few copies. Luciferian Dark Age is just a mCD, meaning I would like to hear more! The production is of course not made in Grieghallen or The Abyss, which might be a good point for it holds a rawer, true sound to ensure the old school feeling. What most bands fail to catch, seems for Pyre to be something natural: variety and originality. I would dare to say a comparison with certain parts/elements to Carpathian Forest (through chasms,..) and older Satyricon could be made, at least atmospheric wise. Be happy if you are able to get this mCD!

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Raventhrone
Malice in Wonderland
Shetait:

Wasn't this a gift once (for my blasphemous deeds?)? Well thank you..(haha). Two Austrian persons I believe, of which one calls himself Pazuzu and the other Engelmacher (=Angelmaker). A comparison can easily be drawn to the German Falkenbach. However, Malice is by far more "commercial" sounding. That might not be the proper term, but speaking of Falkenbach, who's material sounds rawer and better, it can be used. The vocals are partially clean (male), and those sound good, while some other rather weak parts are black and death metallish. Some riffs are so lame, like the ones I composed when I learned what palm muting is, while others in total with drum computer, synth and Falkenbach like melodic guitars really great. Malice is a possible choice for those who like Falkenbach's scaldic art. For now Malice in Wonderland can only dwell in the shadow of Falkenbach.

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Rhymes of Destruction
A Sun Revolution
Shetait:

Even before I start trashing the music I have to comment on the design. The booklet is filled with images taken on cemetaries. The inside of the booklet has a dirty white as color, while the outside shows too colorful images. The music is somewhere in between pathetic and I like it. The best track is probably an acoustic piece which brings to mind the great Kveldsanger album by Ulver. For black metal the riffs are mostly too happy, and not really aggressive. This absence of brutality can be caused by the weak drumming, if it is programmed even worse, or the mere fact that the vocals sound like they placed a mic in a bucket and the vocalist placed everything on his head. The synth which is used in many ways from dance floor to acceptable atmospheric lines, is mostly out of place and only makes things worse for my musical taste. Overall there to many parts which sound like a bunch of wanna be metal musicians, I can not recommend it to anyone. What I would suggest is that this band focuses strictly on the acoustic pieces and throws away the rest....

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Rob Halford
Resurrection
Xuthus:

Well, here comes the Metalgod after his tremendously weak Two project. To be honest, I was expecting material of the "false" variety, that is, jump-metal. To my utter joy, the disc starts off with the "Painkiller"-esque title track. Rob kicks in with his former glory, showing off his unmatched vocal highs. The balls-to-the-wall heavy metal song quality continues through tracks like "Locked and Loaded" (where I find myself pointing during the chorus, listen and see) and "Nightfall". Unfortunately, "Resurrection" starts to run out of steam about halfway through. A couple of filler tracks ("Twist" and "Temptation") mar the overall high standard, but in the end, Rob Halford's solo stuff is the best music he's done in years.

Megiddo:

Two. Fight. Very disappointing. Where these two efforts by Rob Halford failed (the latter being minimally entertaining), "Resurrection" comes at you teeth bared and with blood in it's eyes, signaling the return of the true Rob Halford. With the intro to the first track, the soon-to-be-classic "Resurrection", we get the first aural glimpses of the sonic beauty and viciousness that is Halford's voice. After this, we are treated to a heavy melodicism that has been unrivaled by many, if not all, of the other big boys' new releases (i.e. Iron Maiden's lackadaisical new one and Black Sabbath's reformed sounds). After being steamrolled by the first 5 or 6 tracks of Halford's prodigeous voice (which is only supported exponentially by the very adept skills of guitarists Patrick Lackman and Ray Riendeau, as well as the precise technicality of drummer Bobby Jarzonbeck), we hear some more bluesy-type songs with a slightly different feel to 'em. And contrary to Xuthus' dislike for the latter half of the disc, I think it makes for a well-rounded package..especially "Twist". I feel it adds a vibe of relaxation to the vastly heavy-oriented CD. So, if you want a slab of true heavy metal, a disc that's got it all, "Resurrection" will "take you home"!

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Rotting Christ
Triarchy of the Lost Lovers
Shetait:

In 1996 when I first heard this album I recall being swept away into some other realm. These nine tracks composed by a Greek band if I remember correctly, have been collecting dust eversince. So finally I gave it a listen again, and guess what it bored me to death. Ok, the guitar work is very fancy with lots of harmonies and nice sounding ideas, but overall I am missing the extreme factor, the brutality, the coldness, the speed. I am no more into those "dreaming" hymns with a touch of proud sadness. Furthermore the vox are too unoriginal and weak for my taste. Ok, all this sounds worse than it actually is. Triarchy simply takes it at a slower pace with catchy riffs. So those who speak in favor of old school grimness should look for something else, those who might like a well produced album to cool down could check out Triarchy....however, this is not what I call black metal.

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Sacrilege
Lost in the Beauty you Slay
Shetait:

The album comes in a dark blue and silver design. The title already predicts what this might be: ultra melodic Swedish death. Everytime I hear an album like this one it brings always the same comparisons into my mind: Edge of Sanity, At the Gates and the likes. A blend of brutality mixed with "cruel romantic" melodies. The comparison with At the Gates might fit if you think of a less powerful Slaughter of the Soul album. Lost in the... is professionally recorded and sounds according to that. Being signed to Black Sun Recs you might know what you will get. To make it short, fans of Edge of Sanity, At the Gates, or in general melodic Swedish death metal will be able to enjoy this. I personally think that the instrumental track is pretty much simple but still my fav track!

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Sadistic Intent
Resurrection
Shetait:

Ok the title is not very original, see for example Rob Halford. Anyways what matters is that Sadistic Intent is an US band which has sworn their allegiance to old school death metal. Having seen them live a long time ago I can say that they deserve to be supported. A strong part are the thrashy guitar riffs with killer soloing. The vocals are are not Incantation like low, but have their own characteristic. Sorta like a sleepwalking zombie, hahaha, sorry...no honestly they are superior to many other bands. What the hell why talk on and on this release is a "vision of sadistic darkness", or in plain words: worshippers of death metal won't get around Sadistic Intent!

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Saltus
Slowianska Duma
Shetait:

Oh great a Polish band which probably jumped onto the latest trend of NS ideologies and fatherland pride. Having met one member of this truely refreshing band I am thinking highly of this album. Not one of those shitty I HAVE READ SEVERAL BOOKS ABOUT HITLER bands. It begins with a very dark and mystic battlefield. Sounds of crashing steel and excellent synth layers. The actual black metallish tracks are free of synth lines. Man, do I like this release. The vox are more of a death metalish style than black metalish, but not nearly totally deep throat grunts. In between the mostly fast, and partially thrashy riffs, are the already mentioned synth layers. Saltus is about to release their second album, I am looking forward to it. Support this band, you will not regret it!

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Samael
Blood Ritual
Shetait:

Oh boy, much pubic hair has grown since they have released their best looking album. The design is kept dark and blaspheming. This being one of their first releases has the occult spirit in form of slow, heavy guitar riffs. Well, slow and rhythmic is ok but man do it for an entire album and it gets boring after a while. A little change provide the synth/instrumental intermezzos. Vorphalack’s accent is really bad, especially during these mentioned intermezzos the vox sound a bit funny. I would not pull it down to the level of Eminenz, who are the only ones I know being slow until the end, but overall I does not blow me away. A good choice maybe for background music, or moments when darkness shall slowly creep up, but nothing for speeding down the Autobahn!!! Design excellent, Production good, music too slow.

Ceremony of Opposites
Shetait:

While I consider Blood Ritual their blackest release, Ceremony is definitely the heaviest one. The sound is very professional and straight forward. Once again the guitar riffs are mid paced and rhythmic. I guess in general it sounds better and slightly faster than Blood Ritual. The use of synth is fortunately kept at a low level. The lyrics are still based on blaspheming themes so no change as of this point. If I were to recommend a Samael album than it would be this release. Not what I consider blackest black metal, but it is heavy and straight forward in your face. Cranked up, a nice think to listen to. For sure the best release by this Swiss band.

Rebellion
Shetait:

Rebellion, as in my stomach is about to throw up? The Ying Yang symbol from Ceremonies booklet on the cover, two new versions of old songs, one Alice Cooper cover and two new tracks? I fucking hate such attempts to make money! The idea of making hidden tracks sucks. My “underground” car stereo can not fast forward CDs, so several minutes of Rebellion remain unheard, if I ever decide to play this album again. I do not recommend it, I do not comment on it!

Passage
Shetait:

Yes onward, down the road to the Gothic what the hell is this kingdom. Over the years the typical mid paced guitar rhythms have been accompanied more and more by synth lines. Not as dumb and lousy like most black metal bands, but too much for me anyways. All of a sudden it is no more occult topics, instead they have moved to Jupiterian vibes. Nexus Polaris by Covenant comes to my mind. Not as technical and cheesy, but at least as uninterresting to me. Sorry, why did I ever get these Samael albums in the first place???? For romantic Gothic dreamers I recommend Passage and Rebellion, true headbangers shall stay away…

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Sarnath
Life...lies
Shetait:

Man, I am usually pissed when I see a bunch of regular dudes on the picture. Reading the song titles however shows that Sarnath are probably a bunch of normal musicians, who just enjoy making somewhat extreme music. Soundwise they have the Swedish Death Metal touch, which lets you assume wrong that they are Swedish. As a matter of fact Sarnath are hailing from Finland. The booklet is a waste of money, a real shitty design! The music is down tuned, and reminds me of Bruce Dickinson’s solo project. So in other words melodic heavy grooves with a touch of heavy/power metal. The male vocals are clean throughout, and fortunately this vocalist has a good voice. If you are looking for a tempo above mid pace you have to listen and look really careful. Some ballads are in the veins of Testament’s Serenity. Well, overall it is a professional release which might appeal to the softer listeners, I want real extreme music or real metal, but no crossovers!

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Satanel/Death Dies
Under a scarlet night/When the dead dies
Shetait:

This is a split album between two Italian bands. Satanel is sorta like an Italian Falkenbach. The tracks contributed on this split sound very atmospheric. Ok one or two synth passages are really cheap and show me that these guys have not totally understood what should be considered, as they say Unpure Black Metal. In favor of them speaks a good production and song variety. Their material does not get boring after one or two tracks. The synth lines are somewhat happy at times, but think of Falkenbach, some elements are more proud instead of grim. Death Dies is the second band on this split album. They play exclusively romanic art. This basically means fast underground black metal. I like their fast style and the sound is good as well, but the vocals are a bit too weak, or unoriginal for my taste to be considered an overall great band. Speaking of the total package this split is decent. Two bands with different styles, who are on the right way. I consider both of them worth checking out. Sonce this goes back several years I am curious if they are still around.

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Satanic Slaughter
Land of the Unholy Souls
Shetait:

This band has been known for being around for many years without releasing lots of albums. Who gives a fuck right, may be it was good that they never released any of their material. Land of the Unholy Souls contains a total of 13 tracks including the intro. It represents stuff from four different recording sessions. Thus the sound differs from track to track, ranging from a Darkthronish distortion to the standard black metal sound. Forever I Burn is featured twice on this sorta best of album. Good because it features my fav thrash riff at the end of the track. While all song titles contain something blaspheming and everything stands under the banner of unholiness there is the certain something missing. At times I find the vocals too weak, as in the vox do not have their own typical characteristic. Well, I guess overall I prefer this slightly above average black metal album instead of most new crap because it is kept old schoolish primitive without any experiments…

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Satyricon
Nemesis Divina
Shetait:

Every now and then bands make a giant leap from underground to a big time label. After three excellent official albums (Shadowthrone, Dark Medieval Times, The Forest Is My Throne) Satyricon made it, and released a big time produced black metal album. Soundwise this makes a great difference, but not really better or worse than before. Each album holds it’s own moments. The killer self made band shots have been replaced by professionally made photos. Hey, why is that falcon/eagle always looking in the same direction? I despise such acts, not as shitty as today’s Immortal photographer sessions but already promising a new age of Satyricon. Ummm, oh yes haha the actual music….yes it is black metal and it is good, somewhat different than their previous material. The old stuff was primitive yet very grim and sophisticated in the way two guitars are working together. Nemesis has lots of single note lines played over chords, and some great thoughtful moments. The last album which has shown that Satyricon was once a great band! May their shitty rebel crap be buried and crushed by their past!

The Shadowthrone
Shetait:

Yummi, if you still speak of Satyricon you better mean the early works!!! A piece dating back to the old glorious moments of the scandinavian reign. Very primitive but awesome guitar riffs. The much hated synth lines sound better than any of the new shit, because they are used to create atmosphere only at very rare selected moments. Going from mid paced proud "melodic" arrangements to fast griding riffs, a great choice of speed variety. Old school sound with a very "thin, high frequency transparent noise floor",...hahaha the way it was meant to be. A must have in every collection!

Dark Medieval Times
Shetait:

What do you expect, it is Satyricon with the old logo. Of course just like Shadowthrone killer old school black metal atmosphere. Frost has become one of the most popular drummers, I do not see why Hellhammer is mentioned more often. Frost is fucking great, especially on the old recordings. DMT contains more of the acoustic, atmospheric parts than Shadowthrone, but the spirit which engulfs both of these great albums stayed the same. If you do not have this album by now you are a fucking poser and should rather get the newest rebelshit album...for worshippers of true BM only.

The Forest is My Throne
Shetait:

MIGHTY SPLIT WITH ENSLAVED!!! Urgh, one of the most powerful splits ever. The old Satyricon logo promises a raw sound and some lovely riffing a la Shadowthrone and Dark Medieval Times. Worshipper of old black metal will feast upon the first four tracks including the great atmospheric track Min Hyllest til vinterland, which convinces with simple acoustic lines worked into the typical Satyricon style. Enslaved being unmatched at least concerning their really old material wraps this split album up. Fucking ey, whoever put these two bands on a split must have been someone with a great fucking musical taste. Not just a collectors item, way above being plain listenable.

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Scheitan
Berzerk 2000
Shetait:

Sigh,...what the fuck happened here? It grooves and grooves, but is not really a follow up of Travelling! Heavy riffs, which well they groove, partially in combination with female vocals. It is if at all experimental black metal. The sound is very good, which makes it bareable. Merely the last few tracks are in the old vein of their previous album. I am not fond of sudden style changes. A great album title, lame song titles (Raincoat, Sad To Say, Exitways, etc). Hey I dunno it is experimental, try it but do not buy it.

Travelling In Ancient Times
Shetait:

Hahahaha, never heared such an original album. This projects belongs to those bands who say: Fuck it, so this riff has been done two hundred times before, who cares it is a good riff. Damn, I think it is great. A typical norse black metal release. Fast and cold, arctic cold. Especially the last track was praised due to its surprising outro...a melodic solo. Well if you have some cash left over, Travelling takes you into the northern hemisphere upon icewinds and drops you of at the portals of might to be in battle with angels. Only that holiday camp like picture on the back is a little strange, hey fuck it there is a mighty mountain behind these huts!

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Sigh
Infidel Art
Shetait:

Argh, yes!!!!! I remember reviewing this album a long time ago before Cruor was partially destroyed by the FBI. This band is using the traditional instruments as in drums, guitars, bass and yes synths! What makes them fucking special, or at least stand out in between the numerous projects? Mirai and his fellow comrades are Japanese corpsepaint wearing samurais. The albums speed covers every tempo, doomy slow leading to the dark depressive acoustic chasm all the way to suicidal last elegies. It is fascinating to listen to their style. Everything but unoriginal. Uncomperable to any other band I know musicwise and soundwise. Haha, Zombie Terror and Asian Occult themes what else do you want. An album for those who are willing to leave the cold icy northern mountains and try something new. (strangely through it’s dedication to Euronymous the link to Scandinavia has been made)

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Summon
Baptized by Fire
Shetait:

I recall Xuth having an older, greenish designed album of this US band. If am not mistaken it was sold to a second hand store. Baptized by Fire begins with an intro going into very chaotic first song. The riffs are old schoolish death/thrash metallish, however the drumming makes it appear like organised chaos. Bands which immediately come to mind are Angelcorpse and Sadistic Intent, although as usual these comparisons are not matched. While the album starts out strong there are certain tracks which are way too soft and boring. It is one of those releases which sounds good at first but looses its touch at a closer listen. Hmmm, where is that second hand store,….no it is average and does not need to be sold, on the other it does not need to be listened to often either.

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Summoning
Lugburz
Shetait:

For some reason it reminds of their fellow country men Abigor. The drum mix is decent, but once in a while the hi-hat is too dominant, did someone forget to turn on the compressor? "Where Winters forever cry" shows how to combine melodic riffing with some ultra lovely grooves. Melodic? Grooves? Fuck yeah, good stuff. Summoning presents a tick more than mid-paced rawness... a winner!

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Sun of the Sleepless
Poems to the Wretches Hearts
Xuthus:

Being a fan of Empyrium, I wanted to check out the raw black metal approach of Sun of the Sleepless, because it features a member of Empyrium. However, since I am a broke metalhead, I have a hard time paying $11 for a 3 song mCD. Luckily, my new friend at Wyvern Productions sent me a copy for free. And what a killer it is! If you are completely mesmerized by Darkthrone's song, "Transilvanian Hunger", then you will love the opening track of "Poems...". Simple and straightforward, yet flowing and anguished, the riffs are fantastic. A couple of Empyrium-like touches appear (such as the gloomy synth break in "Thou, whose face hath felt the winter's wind" and the Ulver-esque closer) making this mCD all the more enjoyable. If "Poems to the Wretches Hearts" were a full-length, it would undoubtedly be one of best of 1999. I'll end the review with a typical comment for a mCD: "GREAT music, but too short!"

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Swordmaster
Wrath of Times
Shetait:

Urggh why can’t it be another CD to be damaged by scratches? This Swordmaster mCD is a more thrashier Dissection like album. Especially the first track is firework of thrash ideas and killer drumming. Something which will defenitely not let you sit around and pick your nose. Fucking ey, it is a shame that the second half is damaged by scratches. I think it consists of an edited track meant as a preview for an upcoming release. Anyways, take the opportunity and get your hands on this mCD. Black/thrash metal with quality and ideas are promised!

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Taake
Nattestid Sar Porten Vid
Xuthus:

1/17/01 Update:As some of you may recall, my initial review of "Nattestid.." reflected my like of this album, but I didn't quite comprehend it's production and structure. Now that I've had a chance to hear it again (and again), I am struck by how killer it really is. Taake is easily as good as Satyricon in their prime, making it a wonder that broader success eluded this band. The substantial rawness of the production will drive away the more trendy BM listener, leaving the great music to be admired by steadfast black metal fans. "Nattestid.." has some really great songs in that early 90's Norwegian vein. A Not quite melancholic, but more sentimental (?) feeling is exuded by the riffs. This is easily the best Norwegian black metal album released in recent years.

Shetait:

If this is almost like a demo to quote Xuth, than it is the damn best demo ever to be rocorded on Grieghallen!These are some remarkably well performed hymns. To finish it with some famous words, if you do not like it you are a shit sniffer!

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The Black
The Priest Of Satan
Shetait:

Once upon a time there was a killer US black metal label, with a well known taste for good music. This release goes back to the year of 1993, when Necropolis Recs still had a good reputation (before incidents with such bands like Nifelheim emerged). The Black is a three piece which kept everything traditionally black and satanic. Basically nothing has been done wrong, good sound and attitude. BUT, even if we ignore that few keyboard sounds which not always are appropriate, there is not much left over to be considered above average. The riffs are even for be old school primitive to boring, well not boring but unspectacular. Too many song structures are of the type where you can already predict what the next idea will sound like. Nothing fucking great, nothing lame as fuck, the average black metal assault however from the early nineties, which makes it a bit more interesting to collectors.

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Thus Defiled
Wings of the Nightstorm
Shetait:

Hailing from the superior metal land which already spawned awesome extreme bands like Cradle Of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, etc…. comes another outstanding band called Thus Defiled. A band which can not decide to be either lame as fuck or truly good. The vocals range from low growls, which I fucking hate because everybody is doing those scrotum nibbling wanna be death grunts. They are more annoying than fitting to the music. Anyways from low growls to Donald Duck like black metal vox. What do you get by piling these two styles up, yup shit! What are really enjoyed are the clean atmospheric parts, which are probably played by the bass guitar. Also some faster beats and guitar riffs are acceptable. Man but too often it sounds like a happy combo trying to appeal to the trendy masses. If you have ever been pissed off by a happy sounding black metal band, well get this one to experience it again. Not recommended unless you listen to the above mentioned British bands!

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Tormentor
Anno Domini
Shetait:

Their blood is true hungarian, like that of the infamous blood bathing countess. Naturally there is the Countess Bathory theme song on this album. Compared to the new material by this band Anno Domini sounds like a totally different band! Heavy thrash/black influences with weird riffs. Think of thrashy riffs with a short guitar lick or run at the end. Makes it sound technical and a little annoying, but once you have forced your way through this chaos you will finally see what it means being tormented. The sound is good and overall a killer old school thrash black metal album with soloes, chaotic guitars, good drumming and vox. Since it is one of their first releases expect something old school and straight forward in your face. I guess it has a tiny touch of the greatness a la Morbid...

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Tsatthoggua
Hosanna Bizarre
Shetait:

Haha, turely bizarre. No wonder this German band is on Osmose. Truely original and fucking fast sado black metal. If it were not for the synth lines and the numerous sample intros I'd consider this for the Hall of Kings. Some sick fucks who deserve attention. Furious BM with a twisted, perverted touch. Put on your latex and get Hosanna Bizarre.

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Tsjuder
Kill for Satan
Xuthus:

Now that the 'big' bands of the Norwegian scene have been castrated and are exploring homosexual non-genres like techno and gothic music, there are but a few that play in the old vein. Tsjuder are one such band. I immediately noticed the pleasing rough production, which was reminiscent of Mayhem's "Wolf Lair Abyss", with goatfuck guitar/bass distortion and strangely synthetic drum sound. In fact, I think Anti-christian, the drummer of Tsjuder, uses an electronic drum kit. Anyway, among the early Gorgoroth riff stylings, the music has quite a bit of primitive, bashing death metal influence. Not a bad CD, considering it is coming from the sadly dead Norwegian black metal scene...

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Tulus
Evil 1999
Shetait:

Hmmm, not certain if it should be called just another album or refreshing. Tulus is experimenting with some non old school parts as well as the typical riffing. The vox are to my likeing, which is something you can not take for granted anymore. From slow to fast to mid paced, all creating more of a flowing album with some unnecessary riffs.

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Ulver
Bergtatt
Shetait:

The first brilliant album by Ulver! This time there are drums and distorted riffs. What I appreciate is that they already had the spirit of Kveldsanger on this album. Bergtatt is I think sort of a narration, a tale. The riffing is very strong and melancholic. Some comparison can be drawn to the later works of Agalloch. Fact is that this is one of my all time favorite albums. Garm's vocals have been always to my liking, no matter on which side project they could have been heard! The sound is not raw, but all mixed to sound rather depressive and thoughtful. A very unique way of black metal is performed on this album, which makes Bergtatt even more interesting for me. Once again, I salute infront of Ulver!

Kveldsanger
Shetait:

Over the years Ulver has shown to be a band which is not afraid of doing something different on every album, thus being musicians who are constantly progressing. This is one of the early albums by Ulver. I think it stands out as the best acoustic album, you see there are not grinding, distorted guitars or pounding drums. It is pure clean Garm vocals accompanied by acoustic guitars, and other clean instruments. I bet many were inspired by this, take Wongraven for example, but Kveldsanger is unmatched. It is one of those albums which brings images of a campfire down by the shores of the icy lake to mind, misty woods and windswept moorlands,...get the point? Clean and pure fucking atmospheric!

Nattens Madrigal
Shetait:

Extremely raw production, which I would have never expected by Ulver. The drumming is almost drowned out, it should have turned up in the mix. The guitars are so freaking raw that it will make your ears bleed, which is not really meant as a compliment. Since Ulver has been known for being a band with certain changes, you just have to get used to it. Damn good that after a moments of the first song there is a sweet acoustic passage which will take you back to Kveldsanger. Just to remind you that they are still capable of playing brilliant music. The rest of the album rides under the banner of killer black metal, which suffers just because of the mix. Shit, with a slightly better mix this would have been deadly. Anyways, those who do not mind a hard to listen to production will grow to love it. I need a good sound and still dig it!

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Urgehal
Arma Christi
Shetait:

Myself being a fellow worshipper of the great Kvist, I just had to get this newer scandinavian band. Arma Christi comes along in the total old school norwegian style. The design is anti christian, black and white with corpse paint. Seeing just the design you should right away be able to tell what this will be like. If not better get the newest 'N Sync album. A first I thought the vocals of being just a bit too weak, BUT Urgehal won't just rip your head of with their 100% old school black metal they will also piss down your neck and shove their primitive drums and guitar riffs even deeper down your throat. One of the best albums in the old vein!

Massive Terrestial Strike
Shetait:

...ever thought an album title could not really back up the song material. Guess what, you are fucking wrong this one can. The production is a shitload better than on ARMA CHRISTI. These new blaspheming tracks are more thrash influenced. But due to some minor line up changes also very interesting. While one track is really primitive sounding, the next one will kill you with death metal influences. Man just fuck this. Are you in desperate need of truely heavy album BUY IT before a massive strike will destroy the last copies!!!

Atomkinder
Shetait:

Urgh,...I fucking despise the look of the once killer Urgehal members. Trondr remained the only "true" member, the others are the much loved short haird faggots....man besides my first disaapointment I was anxious to finally hear the third release, which I awaited for a longh period of time. After listening to the album a few times, it easily shows that Urgehal kept on continueing their style of primitve mostly mid paced old school BM. BUT, it does sound worn out and unrefreshing. I do not think that Trondr can be that much a fan of fade in/outs...the riffs are primitive, ok that is nothing bad. Every track bevor Atomkinder sounds more enthusiastic than these new ones. What speaks definitely against the actual Urgehal material is the fact that the two cover songs (one of Kreator's Pleasure to Kill, the other a truely old Sepultura track) are the most ass kicking on the album. Well, I think with this slightly below average blackish release my interest slowly fades away....

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Venom
Welcome to Hell
Shetait:

Hahaha, the most popular album. One which deserves to be recognized and titled Welcome to Hell. That is the Venom everyone likes and the band which made teeny girls wet their panties. These tracks are filled with die hard thrash riffs, basically it is filthy metal. A bit above Hellhammer’s primitive approach and faster than Celtic Frost. If Venom ever deserved to be called CULT than it was in these their early days. A piece of metal history should not be missed, so it is mandatory to have at least heard this album. If you own this album it is mandatory to be able to sing along the title track: Welcome to hell…if you own this album and a guitar it is mandatory to be able to play the opening riff of the title track. A riff used by oh so many bands, haha and every time it was a good riff!!!

At War With Satan
Shetait:

Oh man, the “Octagon” of Venom. I do not care what is stated in the booklet or if it is released under Venom’s banner. At War With Satan sucks, yes it simply sucks. While every other album I know had at least several highlights, this one sounds like a handful of B-Side recordings. Did they record every throw away riff??? Shit, it sounds like Venom, yet it is not. Just the same old sound and the same logo does not make a good release. Collector’s item at most, but not more than that.

Possessed
Shetait:

Let's get some hell down here...come on....the typical Venom fuck you we'll kick your ass attitude. The usual lyrics about satan and every metal fanatics wet dreams about banging school girls, teachers or whatever runs around. Well, that is Venom. Awesome hook lines and easy to memorize riffs as well as short phrased choruses. The production could have been a bit louder, trust me you will be very tempted to crank this baby up loud!

Prime Evil
Shetait:

By now everyone knows this name to be legendary. But few have heard any material besides the first one or two albums. This album brings to mind such great acts like old Sodom, Testament, basically a bit of every true thrash metal band there is. Of course the typical Venom sing along chorus is not missing on this release. However, the sound is not as dirty as it used to be. It appears like a bit more organized band than in the very early days. Being soundwise and what it all comes down to atmosphere wise I would prefer other Venom albums but being a die hard fan you won't get around acknowledging even these more mature headbanger tracks.

Resurrection
Xuthus:

Wow, two kickass CDs with the title "Resurrection"! (the other being Rob Halford's new disc) Despite what some people have complained about (so-called new groove metal influences), Venom comes across to me as a refreshed band. That is, re-invented a bit but not in a gay way. As with Venom's previous CD, "Cast in Stone", I'm subtly reminded of Metallica on their black album (although with a lot more heart and true metal attitude). If there's one word to describe this CD it's HEAVY! We're talking bludgeoning low-end guitars with a crushing drum sound. The best tracks are the overtly Satanic ones ("War Against Christ" and "Black Flame [of Satan]"). There's lots of good music to drive to here --talk about metal with a real "fuck you" attitude. Recommended!

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Vintersemestre
Jäärverisaatana
Shetait:

I had to pay for this finnish promo copy, even though it clearly states PROMO COPY NOT FOR SALE. Fuck these money orientated bastards! I guess that these tracks go back to the early/mid nineties. Vintersemestre is using heavy synth lines to hide their otherwise damn raw sound and style. They are not afraid to speed things up, but the constant use of synth lines sorta keeps it from being labled mighty fast and grim black metal. Raw symphonic BM is more adequate. Certainly worth checking out despite the fact that a semi professional recording makes it hard to clearly hear every tiny bit of a certain instrument. So what, it is raw in a good way. Good enough for me to remember their name.

Kirkkokyrpä
Shetait:

Urgh, I fucking love what this band is doing ( not concerning the music at this point). Jääverisaatana begun narrating a story in the booklet, which is now continued in the booklet of Kirkkikyrpä. Basically about a person who turns his back on the weakness of mankind to live in solitude. There he is confronted by unnatural forces and more or less becomes stronger and stronger. Then he is told to return to society in order to teach… great the intro begins with his return. You can hear how he is approaching a playing ground with children running around having fun, probably being unaware of the darkness which is drawing closer. Once more a heavy use of synths, but what makes it enjoyable are the awesome vox. They remind me of the good days of Helheim and the best female vocalist I know (Onielar of DNS). Urgh, fucking screamy and eeeeeeevil. Unfortunately the album can not convince me until the end. There are killer highlights on there to hear, but also some not that spectecular moments. Anyways, it is a good choice for those who like semi professional underground recordings and are not afraid of synth lines.

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Vintersorg
Hedniskhjärtad
Shetait:

Oh man, all of a sudden we have been hit with Vintersorg and his numerous projects. This one being named after himself. This mCD represents old works with the typical clean vox. Vintersorg’s appear to have pretty much stayed the same over the years. According to the booklet this band started out in 1994 under the name Vargatron. Back then clean vox were not that common, or at least not dominating the grim vox. Anyways, the first few tracks bring a brilliant album to mind, whose makers are be thanked for inspiration: Ulver’s “Bergtatt”. Fucking ey, only few albums can even be compared to slightly possess the same spirit as Ulvers masterpiece. Vintersorg can not over do it but at least follow it. The drums are fake, well not obviously fake but not hard to hear that a drum computer took care of the beats. This does not matter, for the tracks can convince in many ways. As guest musicians are listed Vargher, of course synths and Stella, female vox. Overall a very good album, however only recommendable to those who have previously checked out Vintersorg.

Ödemarkens Son
Shetait:

Oh boy, already the official fan club in Germany…oh well. The production has turned to be very solid, as in totally professional. Vintersorg’s style as it can be heard on the previous material as well as his “main” band Otyg has not changed. More tracks based on his fable for mother nature. I have grown a little suspicious concerning this album. I enjoy the music mostly very much. It is however, partially very trendy and soft sounding. Same goes for the vocals. His clean vox are certainly good, but after a while the start getting more and more annoying. Also I think that the grim vocal patterns on this album are weaker than on Hedniskhjärtad. Fuck, especially that Yeah-e-Yeah scream was more than unessecary. Ödemarkens Son is an album which I can not listen to constantly but every now and then it is a welcome change of “style”. Haha, still I prefer KVIST at any time!!

Cosmic Genesis
Xuthus:

Leaving the landscape/folklore -inspired stuff behind (temporarily, I would guess), Vintersorg has taken on the space concept for his new album. The music is much in the same vein as his earlier efforts, that is, Heavy Metal with Power and Black Metal elements. He sings in English for much of the disc, revealng a talent for writing fascinating lyrics to us non-Swedes: "The bodies are like a stratum of dust on a dark livid background, spherical architectures vomiting coronas. The sacred hemispheres are the compass to eternity, my notion is unison with its sidereal modesty.." I personally think it is his best since the debut, "Til Fjalls" (which remains my favorite). While the former album, "Odemarkens Son" was solid, it kind of paled in comparison to the awesome first CD. "Cosmic Genesis" sees Vintersorg expanding on his vocal versatility --he explores his higher range and what sounds like more complex vocal harmonies. Their arrangements are the best I've heard since the early works of Garm (Ulver, Borknagar, Arcturus, etc). Vintersorg covers a song by Uriah Heep (a band who I know NOTHING about), "Rainbow Demon", and the result is just grand. It's a standout track indeed. Strong and fresh, the new Vintersorg album is a triumph in his catalog of releases.

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Vulpecula
Fons Immortalis
Shetait:

This US band (RIP) stands for pure nocturnal symphonies. Right away I noticed the sound being pretty raw, not like Darkthrone but rather dark. Selfexplaining if you take a look at the bands focus “a celebration of the night”. I was literally blown away when I listened to this album speeding down the road at night with thick fog layers reducing the vision to a minimum. Very fucking dark. The music is mostly slow/mid paced yet still very interesting. Every now and then gloomy synth passages draw you further into the dark. Furthermore I like the miry vocals, which are somewhat black metalish for sure, but rather hoarse than screamy, very good. Unfortunately this band is now for ever wandering the stellar fields of nothingness. I would have liked to hear more of these nocturnal hymns. What remains is to get Fons Immortalis!

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Witchburner
Witchburner
Shetait:

Yippie, here’s the first release preceding the shitty Blaspheming Assault. One major problem that I have concerning this band is the sound and their approach of thrash metal. The guitar riffs are better on this first release. At least it can be heard that they had more ideas than the second time. A big disappointment are the drums. They never exceed the boring beginner thrash beats. To me a real turn off. The vocals are unspectacular. I enjoy thrash metal very much, I do like retro bands, but I do not like bands which try to hard and produce an outcome which is below every true 80ies release. Germany is know for the best “thrash” bands like Kreator and Sodom, but I guess those two were exceptions.

Blasphemic Assault
Shetait:

What happens if a modern German thrash band tries to be old school and runs out of ideas??? Yes pretty much a “blasphemic assault”. Of course the riffing are pure thrash metal orientated but do not exceed the average fly picked string and powerchord ideas. Something about the sound is very weak. The entire production sounds professional but is lacking “raw energy”. A little boost on the drums and guitars to make it all more powerful. Getting hit by this blasphemic assault is more like getting hit by a five year old Sepultura fan. These tracks show similarities to old Sepultura, partially Kreator/Sodom and Onslaught. The problem is that all of these bands have succeeded in being more original and more aggressive. To me just an average thrash album which quickly runs out of ideas, thus turning boring.

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Zaratustra
Umm???
Shetait:

All the way from Bulgaria comes this release. While there are a few bands called Zaratustra there still needs to be one which totally earns this name. Right away I can say this release is in between boring as fuck and magnificent. Soundwise they are filthy in the vein of Burzum, Darkthrone, or to speak in modern terms Abyssic Hate, and other retro orientated bands. I think it is the best sound they could get, which is alright. After a nice intro the first disapointement begins. Heavy synths used partially in a too soft and dark romantic way, yet on the other side used in a killer primitive Burzum like atmosphere. Once the intro is over skip to the second track, which is among my favs of this album. It starts out fast and raw. Every now and than the vocals, which are hiding behind a thick reverb-wall, can be heard. Not the best but fitting to the music they sound good. The drumming sounds also good and interesting. As an underground release it is surprising good., even though one third is dark romantic crap.

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