Anticipating the arrival of Averse Sefira's latest work, "Battle's Clarion" like a whore waiting to get out of church, my expectations were quite high. Their debut album "Homecoming's March" was very impressive with its battering war-hymns which lasted over ten minutes on some songs, and lyrics which are intellectually pagan in a way that the intelligence almost mocks the sheer stupidity of lyrics of certain gay bands like Deicide ("Open the door, Jehovah, you whore"…come on! Perhaps stupid is too kind), or the typical gore metal band. It would soon manifest to me, as I sat upon my music critiquing pulpit, the reality would not be as my expectations had hoped.

I was slightly disappointed that the songs created by Sanguine and Wrath shrunk to a typical three to four minutes, somewhat stripping "Battle's Clarion" if it's Averse Sefira "uniqueness". Like the previous album, there are little actual guitar solos to give the band certain distinction, so the rhythmic sound can get repetitious, typical, and even boring. Yet, other changes made in the album make up for afore mentioned problems. Experimentalism does help to distinguish the record. Before each song, there are no two minute synthesizer interludes, which can easily break the feel of an album if it is not done well. These songs are given their own titles and tracks, which enhances this album. The title track, "Battle's Clarion" opens the album with raw, intense darkness, then, abruptly drops to an ambient, hollow noise which is best described as weird. Song five, "The Nascent Ones (The Age of Geburah)", slows down the pace to a more distorted, echoing hymn, reminiscent to Bathory's "Call from the Grave".

An even greater change which really separates "Battle's Clarion" from Averse Sefira's previous works is the introduction of a real live (despite his name- The Carcass) human drummer to provide the battery. Although since '99, Averse Sefira has been using a real drummer for their live sets, there is considerable difference on this album as it gives "Battle's Clarion" a more powerful feeling to better express the pagan emotion of Sanguine's vox.

Along with other metal bands like Absu, Thornspawn, and Death of Millions, and a little help from Lord Imperial of Krieg, and MkM of Antaeus, "Battle's Clarion" is not a classic album, but it is true to the black metal scene. Its holocaust-like brutality, paganism and arrogance unleashes a rage that festers within the black hearts of these Texas warlords.

Sanguine- Guitars, Vocals
Wrath- Bass, Vocals
The Carcass- Drums

-by Ryan Ward