ANGRA MAINYU - THE ART OF BLASPHEMY
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

The first time I heard something of this German project it was with the split with Xasthur. Recently I have found one tape and I was pretty curious to see how it could sound. I must admit that it didn't disappoint me at all. Still Black Metal in the vein of early Burzum with some atmospheric samples (as sound of rain or the intro in which there is a recitative speech concerning Black Metal having as background one of the more famous Burzum song). There is also the acoustic guitar that can be heard for a couple of times. For the rest this is middle-tempo Black Metal in the style of the already mentioned band. The only problem with this tape (with intro and five tracks) is that almost surely is already sold-out everywhere (it was the second release of the Swedish label, released therefore some time ago). But maybe some copies of it can still be found around. This was in any case limited to 500 handnumbered copies. I wonder if there will be something new, as a full-length album, released by Angra Mainyu in future. 9 ½



BLODULV - KRISTKROSSARE
Review taken from Norðurljós

Blodulv is apparently some new band from Sweden, and this is their first release as far as I know. And that's all I know of this band's background info, but wait.. There is one more thing I know, they play fucking great music!

Six quite lenghty songs of brutal black metal, sounding a bit similar to earlier Gorgoroth (and according to the label similar to Old Wainds too, a band I have yet to hear..). The production is similar to other bands in this genre, raw and simple, still easy to hear everything. Some of the songs are actually quite catchy in a way, especially the first 4 songs or so, which also are the best songs of this demo. With catchy I don't mean this is some kind of "trendy" black metal, quite the opposite...

Blodulv is one of those bands that shows that the swedish underground Black Metal scene is probably the strongest UGBM scene of today. This is also the best demo release I have yet heard so far this year. I suggest you should buy it even if you only remotely like brutal black metal! Limited to 666 copies and out on Total Holocaust Records. 9/10



WARFIRE / AD HOMINEM - PURIFICATION
Review taken from Blackmetalonline.com

This tape ia a fucking jewel, one of the best split I have heard since now. I have to say I unconditionally support the propaganda made by the two bands, their warlike ideas and the anti-foolishness war. This tape come limited to 500 copies handnumbered, "this is not just a split but is an alliance against human infamy", killer words we can read on the booklet of the tape. Heavily extremist the band release this tape with the proud support of swedish label Total Holocaust Records, label (you know?) don't new, luckily, to this kind of release. In the first side we can listen the Warfire, band who gave me a very good impression. Very warlike Black Metal, who is drenched by hate and intollerance. I apprecciated a lot the shor intros at the beginning of the songs, them prepare myself to the massacre. Their perform a typical fast Black Metal in the vein of Polish Infernal War with a more hateful touch.

Turning the tape finally we can listen the KaiserW's band. The French group is with any doubt one of my favourite band ever for a lot of reason. First of all for the great propaganda, or for the affability of the mastermind, or for the absolutely killer music. Although state on the tape that "the song aren't representative of the next ad hominem's work" I haven't found big difference between the song I listened in the albums. As usual, the Black Metal is raw, with some thrashy guitar (occasionally). Even here the hate is copious, the vocals are harrowing at all, they are the symbol of this band that at all release gave us great stuff to listen and remember us for what ideas they fight. A last citation for the absolutely inventive beginning of Total Volkenmord, the song starts with a gay french rap who speak about the destruction of the minister and the fascist. The rap is broked by a chainsaw who forcedly stop these gays and next the new festival of intolerance starts with the scream by KaiserW. Excellent. I can only advise you to buy this tape without doubt, this is Black Metal.



ORNAMENTS OF SIN - INHALE ZYKLON B
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

After the threatening intro, all the songs of this mcd really amazed me. Great riffing, and aggressive songwriting make this cd something that would really deserve support. The closest comparison is with early Norwegian Zyklon B so you know what to expect. Music is 'effective' and screaming seems that one of a corpse behind a coffin. Fast songs, still varied and with some recitative passages (just a couple) over tracks that are all very violent (but never messy) and with a storming drumming. Last track is a cover of Burzum, really well-made. To end, a very promising band (I don't know if this is a debut but for sure I never heard about them before) for the future. I really think this cd really deserves much attention from the underground. 8½


Review taken from Norðurljós

Ornaments Of Sin have a sound that is very similar to the old Burzum. Especially the song "Dunkelheit's Pest" sounds like something that could be on the Burzum album "Det Som Engang Var", a really great song and the best on this MCD. This is a fine release if you like Burzum's first two albums (and "Aske"), and want to hear more music in that style. The closing song is a cover of "Stemmen Fran Taarnet" which is done very true to the original, it should please most Burzum fans. Would be interesting to see what Ornaments Of Sin, can come up with in the future.



STALAGGH (BEL/HOL) - PROJEKT NIHIL
Review taken from Pestilent Webzine

One of the timeless bands in dark music (not necessarily black metal) must be Abruptum, and Stalaggh are a type of band whose music is played on the same lines- tortured improvisatory random sounds that reek of madness and suicidal despair.I thought it was just a gimmick when I saw the advert. ‘The soundtrack to humanities’ global suicide’ the press blurb proudly declared. But the record really does deliver the goods.Therefore, this album is just surrealist, some may argue pointless, noise in the vein of the classic ‘In Umbra…’, to put it simply, a demented piece of anti-art. There are no musical values as such but I really appreciate this kind of music, even though it may get boring after a while.The dual or triple (?) vocals (sometimes electronically processed) sound like a wounded animal, yelping and howling for the pain to stop but to no avail. A constant tapping or scratching on the drum kit gives a very disorienting effect, especially the vaguely rhythmic crashes on various types of cymbals to create ominous funeral marching, which sometimes gets a bit too much to stand. Apart from the vocals, one of the main elements in Stalaggh is the continuous electronic feedback, sometimes descending to a constant low throbbing giving a bass-heavy effect, and sometimes rising to envelope all the other instruments in swathes of sweeping noise. Guitars are never used in a conventional way, just loud jarring chords and annoying fret scratching. Of course that is probably the point! As I already said, the problem may sometimes be that the listener may lose interest because of the seeming lack in variation taking place.Music like this (well, probably all music) always sounds better on vinyl because of the thicker sound. Of course this is not black metal, it’s not even metal, if you want a term, black nihilistic vomit fits especially well. And in case you hadn’t noticed, yeah, the album title suits the music particularly fine. 9/10


Review taken from Multum In Parvo

IT IS SICK! I haven't heard so painful music never before! Yeah, I know that here and there someone created so sick stuff that 'church-wives' crossed theirselves with crucifixes. But that's not that kind of stuff... Stalaggh is not a damn copy of, let's say, Neurosis, or porn-killers from Lividity. Huh, truly, I don't now how to describe their proposition! Trying to get any info about the band was useless! Yeah, I dropped a mail for you below, but would you try to contact them after the listening? Why? Stalaggh is a projekt of musicians from Belgium and Holland. Who, where, with whom and why - only creators of this nihilistic disease would know the answers on that questions. They want to be anonimous and they had their right to do so. However, everyone is curious about personalities which created this mosntrosity. And what's so special about it? Guys thought that Black Metal vocalists are not too natural, so they... used a murder convict (who killed his old-woman in cold b lood at the age of 16) and a mental hospital patient (he also drawn a picture for the band, which you should see! - and killed himself few months later). So, you can only imagine the sadism, pain and insanity which lives in every scream, every piece of human consciocness. Music itself? It's a one, over-half-an-hour suit, consisting of only few Black elements - there are only few parts with heavy stuff of blasting beats. Drums play almost industrial stuff, and the main picture is drawn by all bits, noises, loops and stuff like that. Yeah, and the most important thin - insane vocals of to extraordinary singers. Stalaggh is a project which dreams about the end of humanity, and 'Projekt Nihil' is almost like a pearl in a crown, when comaprising to 99% of Black Metal acts, unreachable form of satanic hate. Stalaggh stands for traumatic feelings for hard listeners. I'm afraid of it and love to hear it again... I listen to this CD for the 10th time today. It is sick... 10/10


Review taken from Vampire Magazine

Do you ever wonder how it's like to be locked up in a mental institution? Can you imagine your cell during nighttime? The dreadful, cold and mirror-like concrete walls? Your sweaty back cleaving to the plastic sheets, and then there's that scent, a foul stench of industrial cleaning liquids and medicines making you vomit over and over again ... And although you've been on anti-depressives and tons of other drugs for months now (Where did it all start? Was it the Risperdal stuff, the Sobril or Imovane? When was your latest shot?) it just becomes worse, and worse and worse. You don't remember anymore if it's the isolation or the horrible screaming of your neighbor cell mates ... Does it still matter? Does it? What time is it? Every fukking day ends in total madness ... Stalaggh.

Or how is your emotional state when you've just slashed another victim? Are you nervous or satisfied? Do you feel comfortable? Still shaking? The blood on your hands, does it feel cold? Did you take the sheets with you? No souvenirs this time? Where did you leave the rope? How violent was it? Was it wild? Yeah? How lively? ... Stalaggh.

Stalaggh is probably the most terrible thing I ever heard and terrible is what it's all about and where its genius lies. This is the mathematical inversion of all positive human feelings. This is anti-life, anti-art and thus anti-music. There's no rhythm but anti-rhythm in this. There's no logic, no hope, no structure, no pattern; it's pure noise terror and brilliantly invoked chaos. It's madness mixed with confusion, pain, torture, psychotic nightmares, paranoia, extreme fear, addiction, murder, nihilism and sickness. This is everything life doesn't need and that's why it's so bloody interesting. Generally people listen to music for mainly the same reason: to enjoy something. Be it joy or love in pop music and violence and aggressiveness in metal, they still miss a big part of the picture. They miss the other side, the dark half, the negative part, the minus to the plus, the anti-part, the un-enjoyable. Stalaggh makes you sick, it makes you feel uncomfortable and nervous, it invokes feelings you usually try to avoid or deny. Spinning this 7" or the Project Nihil LP becomes a thrilling yet depraved experience.

Technically spoken, Stalaggh was created by some members of the Belgian and Dutch Black Metal and Elektro/Ambient scenes together with a mental-institution patient, suffering from Anorexia Nervosa and Borderline Syndrome, and a murder convict, so says the bio. The noise terror was improvised during the studio session and directly recorded. Using such people or saying you've used them could ofcourse be an excellent way to hype/promote the band but if it would ever turn out this was all just made up, it would be an extremely bad joke. The mental patient who contributed to Stalaggh recently died/committed suicide. According to the label, the man was quite artistic and made some interesting drawings of which they, after I asked for it, scanned and send me one. Now, my girlfriend happens to be an art-historian so I showed her the picture without telling its probable background. She looked a few minutes to it (it's extremely detailed) and surprisingly said to me that it must have been drawn by ... a mental patient. Don't think that it was some deranged and badly drawn sketch, it was quite a piece of art and in a certain way beautiful. Strange, ... no proof ofcourse, but strange ... To describe how it all sounds is rather difficult. Stalaggh has often been compared with Abruptum, which is not totally wrong, but goes much, much further and is way more chaotic. You can expect a lot of dreadful screaming, as background 'melody' or loud 'lead part', mixed with cold, mechanic sounds, deep echoing noises, ... Guitars (?), drums heavily distorted and totally a-rhythmic, ... There are no songs at all, it's one long, depressive sound journey.

So no remarks? Not really. I think this is very interesting as experiment, the 7" and the LP, but another similar recording (and I believe it's on its way) would be rather pointless. I would be much more interested in a combination of such misery with some decent black metal. Imagine the nihilistic sound of Stalaggh sampled/combined into some serious black metal terror (like for example some Selbstmord Service band), now that would truly kill!

Take your time for this, have no expectations of what so ever, throw away any standard you have, overcome rumors and then listen, explore and shiver. Existence is futile ...


Review taken from Franang

Stalaggh is a extremely weird band as their music is closer to noises than music. This album was recorded in 10 metres underground basement, without any light nor day shine. Thence, just image that insane and mental disturbing people are creating sounds in studio to express their illness. The track is a vision of extremely pain, and suffering of deranged people that are only screaming their troubles here. Do not expect any melodies or riffs, as you'll only get cavernous sound, death rattle. The recording process was a self mutilating session. . So, just imagine an even darker stuff than the early Abrutpum's release, a gathering of evil emotions with any arrangements nor structures. Note this album is available on a 1000 copies limited digipack.
-(And 500 limited LP edition by TOTAL HOLOCAUST RECORDS)


Review taken from Mother Goat Webzine

When referring to something as Black Noise, people will most likely for a long time yet associate it automatically with Abruptum. How justified that is may be discussed, but at least in the case of Stalaggh, there are clear aesthetic similarities to the aforementioned Swedish pioneers. Projekt Nihil, Stalaggh’s debut full length, begins with a rather annoying bit with chaotic drum-sounds, but then a crazed moaning and screaming voice kicks in, and an electric buzzing. With a sound of feedback, the guitars kick in, and a slow, lurching drumming... the journey is on. Stalaggh is a collaboration between both Belgian and Dutch Electronic/Noise-musicians and Black Metal-musicians, who have chosen anonymity. Instead of using the services of a normal Black Metal vocalist, Stalaggh opted to use a convicted murdered and a mental asylum patient for the recordings of Projekt Nihil, granting a new sphere of authenticity and atmosphere to the insane, crazed and quite disturbing vocals, which consist mainly of insane screaming, moaning and howling. Apparently, the mental asylum patient (whose artwork is featured on the inside of the cool digipack, by the way) committed suicide a while after the recordings of Projekt Nihil. Musically, this is, as stated above, in the same vein as Abruptum: chaotic and improvised, very cacophonous stuff; lurching, irrational drums, nonsensical guitar noises and assorted other noises as well. However, when compared to Abruptum, there’s much more electronic noises and effects here, which is a good thing. On the other hand, though, sometimes I feel there is too little guitar on Projekt Nihil; either it could have been more prominent in the mix, or there could just have been more of it. The sounds are also layered very well, so that almost every listen reveals new sounds, and new combinations of sounds, new hidden (even unintentional?) short, twisted melodies and so forth. Projekt Nihil is definitely not background music... it craves a lot of the listeners’ attention to it. The production of the album is also quite good. The drums and vocals echo distrubingly, lending especially the vocals a lot of atmosphere, and both the drums and the guitars have a hollow, echoing sound that makes them all the more fucked up and cacophonous, which in the case of music like this, is a good thing. The production is very atmospheric, to sum it up in one sentence. As for the atmosphere and associations that this album raise; they are manifold. Indeed, with almost every listen, a new way of interpreting Projekt Nihil surfaces. Sometimes it feels like a trip to a desolate house where the ghosts of old cruelties echo; sometimes it feels like a journey through the excrement-stained corridors of an old mental asylum, or the journey into the sick mind of an insane person; and, weirdly enough, sometimes Projekt Nihil feels even soothing and calming! (But maybe that’s just me who’s sick?) However, Projekt Nihil is not as raw or aggressive as I expected it to be... it’s dark, chaotic, atmospheric, oppressive, but raw and aggressive are things I do not think Projekt Nihil is. Not that it’s a bad thing. As if it isn’t obvious by now, I like Projekt Nihil immensely. Thus, it might come as a surprise that I am only giving it eight out of ten. Why is that? Well, even though I like Projekt Nihil a lot, I feel that the band could have done better... there’s nothing wrong with this CD, but I feel that Stalaggh did not “go all the way”... they could have created something sicker, something more extreme, something more insane. Projekt Nihil for me feels like the band did not pursue the far ends of the path they are walking. However, the band’s second full-length, Projekt Terror, is already recorded, and according to what the people at New Era Productions have told me, that one will be more extreme and insane... so, perhaps this is only a prelude to the full sickness to be unleashed...



STORMNATT - FUNERAL APOCALYPSE
Review taken from Blasphemous Underground

Stormnatt from Austria present us raw old school Black Metal, played more in the primitive vein, between mid-/fast speed plus a good rhythm feeling. But they offer also a kind of depressive side on this Demo, where you can hear dragging guitars and funereally sounding riffs.


Review taken from Martwy Zmierzch

So here we have another Total Holocaust Records release this year, this time debut demo from Austrian trio. You probably know what to expect as THR is releasing quite restricted group of bands playing Black Metal. So is with Stormnatt delivering funeral depressive black metal in old school style. Sometimes close to Xasthur, but maybe little more melodic (during slower parts). There are also faster parts which are more agressive and less melodic, with better drumming, not so vapid like slower ones sometimes. All material is varied with some intros like the wolf`s howl or feeble screams between some tracks. Unfortunately the sound lacks of quality so Stormnatt can work on that recording future stuff. This demo gets better with each listening so let`s wait for next unleash from this Austrian horde.


Review taken from Mother Goat Zine

From Austria comes this threesome, presenting us with some melodic and professional sounding Black Metal. The sound is rather good, although the drums sound like empty tin cans and the vocals are a bit too low in the mix. The musicianship is good, and there are plenty of outstanding guitar melodies. One positive aspect is, that there are plenty of slower sections here. It's not always a good choice to go for a fullspeed blast. Stormnatt really come to their rights in the slower sections, with some great melodies and riffs. However, even the faster sections sound good. The song structures are good, there is enough of variation between and in the songs, and the different sections of the songs flow fluently into each other. All of the songs, with the exception of the last one, are nothing less than very good, and this demo is a very positive surprise. If Stormnatt continue to release as good material as this in the future, they will go far indeed. 4/5


Review taken from Trve Kvlt

These guys really know how to make minimalist Blackmetal with the right melodies, pace... feel. This is not perfect nor flawless: the first music is very good but the rest fades a bit, yet, and since this is a debut, there is no point on putting too criticism over this. If you like your music raw you will have here something that will not leave you unsatisfied. 6/10


Review taken from DemonicHorde

Few UG bands emerge from the Austrian scene, or some larger acts as (ex)Abigor & Belphegor, and some younger acts as Asmodeus, Woodtemple, & Helvete already spread their names to larger areas. STORMNATT is formed of 3 members, and "Funeral Apocalypse" is the first Demo of this Austrian UG band that gathered in 2000. The Demo is composed of 5 tracks, played on fast or solid mid-tempo, in a minimalist and aggressive Black Metal style with a noticeable emphasis on the melodies, an overall appropriate and good sound, and some screamed & varied BM vocals. The faster tracks are marked with a muffled battle drumming and sustained, tight guitar riffs that don't overtake the instrumentation, as on the first 'Herbstgrab', or 'The Eternal Journey...', played in a more brutal Black/War Metal style. The slower breaks add some variations to the tracks and are fluently linked to the rawer parts, as on '... From the Sky...', where faster instrumental breaks inject some dynamism into the main middle tempo. The highlight's is the slower 'Funeral Apocalypse', a slower & intense track marked by outstanding guitar melodies and lower screamed BM vocals that enhance the dark and grim atmospheres. The vocals are recorded a bit too low and seem to dwell the background, but adopt some variations along the different compositions, as on the dragging 'Upon the Shores of Solitude', where the sparse yet theatrical screamed vocals remind at times of Judas Iscariot vocal style. This heavier and depressive track is enhanced by warlike and animal guest noises, more marked riffs and a slow drumming that accompany the repetitive and primitive main melody. Raw, yet catchy Black Metal, with a strong desolate feel and depressive atmospheres, a compact and good release, recommended. The tape comes with a professional printed black/white glossy cover, for them who like dead flesh and mass grave's visions, this dismal layout will fit your necro-tastes. Limited to 666 ex.


Review taken from Franang

Stormnatt delivers 5 tracks of underground Black Metal, in the 90's way. Their tunes is a kind of mix between French Osculum Obscenum and Buzum. Indeed, some of the tunes are fast B.M without any compromise, straight in the head (i.e. : Herbstgard) which sound rather close to the French band while tune such as "Funeral Apocalypse" is typical Burzumish B.M. This kind of song is mid tempo, with a strong depressive and gloomy touch, emphasized with a screamed, skinned vocals. The guitar sound is rather old school, also close to Varg Vicknerness one, while the drum has a rehearsal sound. This demo is ok, but lacks of personality as there's nothing outstanding nor original.



HOLMGANG - RUNENS ADVARSEL
Review taken from upcoming issue of Terrorizer. Written by Nathan T. Birk

Holmgang’s Runens Advarsel has “1995” written all over it, in big black marker; tastefully derivative, if such thing exists, proceed lustily if the likes of early Trelldom and Arckanum stoke your fires.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Differently from what I expected seeing the cover (with two ravens flying during a night with full moon) this is not a pagan release but a pagan/black metal release. Music is (from middle tempo to fast) Black Metal made in the orthodox way but I must tell that the whole result isn't exceptional. Some ideas are good but the whole result isn't remarkable, very likely because I already heard thousands cd's as this. Screaming could be slightly improved, although it is not too bad. Cd is technically rather valid and with some good ideas (especially some atmospheric passages) but for one reason or the other I haven't been able to find enough good reasons to really advice it. 5



SUPREMACY - SATANIC REICH
Review taken from upcoming issue of Terrorizer. Written by Nathan T. Birk.

Supremacy’s Satanic Reich is another slab of “meltdown BM,” this one not unlike Spacemen 3’s cover of Red Crayola’s “Rollercoaster” run through a shared lense of Blut Aus Nord and Inquisition. Off my rocker? Maybe, but you try keeping your coordinates in check after a hundred narcotic spins, let alone one. Not entirely removed in theory yet not nearly as monged-out.



BLODULV - S/T
Review taken from upcoming issue of Terrorizer. Written by Nathan T. Birk

Blodulv’s eponymous debut LP comes on like a locust swarm and remains there, hovering ‘n’ buzzing with calculating malevolence; scowling, scraping, but somehow brisk and even nonchalant at times – head-down and teeth-gnashing, others – perversely lending even more malevolence to these Swedes’ percolating primitivism.


Review taken from Norðurljós

Blodulv is back again, this time releasing their second album which is self-titled and released on CD. It is still in the vein of the first album "Kristkrossare", Gorgoroth/Old Wainds influenced black metal with extremely BRUTAL vocals.

Since "Kristkrossare" was one of my favourite releases of 2003 so far, so you can bet I like this one too! Unlike the first album grabbed me instantly after listening to the first song, this one took a bit longer to get into. At first it seemed not nearly as good as "Kristkrossare", but after a few days of intense listening it grabbed me just like their first album, and I can't really say anymore which one of the two I like more.

Blodulv is brutal black metal at its best and if you are not yet familiar with the mighty Blodulv, do yourself a favour and get either of their releases now. I can't say enough good things about this band.. This is a must have album in your black metal collection.

As a side-note I've heard that they are already writing songs for their next album, these guys are not exactly lazy..



EMIT - THE DARK BLEEDING
Review taken from DemonicHorde

This one man band began to unleash his fierce tunes in 98, and records his first Demo 'The Mysterious Unknown' in 2001. Spreading Hate, war, and pain on its path, Emit returns with a second Demo, 'The Dark Bleeding', released on the Swedish UG Label Total Holocaust Records in 2002. Playing extreme Metal, that is difficultly definable by other words as occult, experimental and industrial Black Metal in the vein of Abruptum for the yet psychotic atmospheres, and reminding of darker ambient acts as Nordvargr for the vast, eerie and tormented soundscapes. The more experimental parts are noise/industrial Metal and the result is at times brutal, disturbing by its difference with a more common Black Metal sounds. Painful screams and exalted emotions thicken this extreme release, and the crude and noisy riffs thicken the misanthropic, nihilist & yet insane atmospheres. For those who appreciate a more experimental style, this album contains also several intense and outstanding passages, darker soundscapes and parts played with a good and appropriate sound. Rude, severe though creative, this release should enlarge your musical fields & span deeper and darker fields of the extreme Metal style.


Review taken from The Metal Archives

This was my first listen to Emit ever as I was sent it as an extra by Beneath records in Britain. I put it in expecting the usual black metal, but the opening screams really caught my ears, I realised I had discovered something very rare, a Black Noise project that is perfectly disjointed, but not so disjointed that there isn't even a drive there. The release is like Abruptum but more enjoyable (IMO) and I could highly recommend it. The vocals are tortured screams, like Abruptum/Black Pentecost but even more bleak and piercing. The music is layered behind the vocals to give the effect of a distance between the players (it was a one man band at this point I believe though). This is not for typical 'Metal Fans' if you like Cradle and Dimmu this will warp you beyond belief. It is only for those with a strong mind, and even stronger stomach. Sheer genius. 90%


Review taken from Baphomet's Throne Webzine.

The British one man band Emit has unleashed a cassette with four tracks of Black / Noise / Industrial Metal. The music sounds similar to Abruptum and "Burning the Temple of God" era MZ 412 with traces of Aghast at times, with the few instances of vocals being mostly very distorted screams. The soundquality on this recording is very good, and fits the music perfectly. The songs have a bit more of a regular songstructure than most Abruptum tracks, which makes for a bit easier listening. Definitely something to play on loud volume in the dark of the night. Very haunting. Standout tracks are I and IV.


Review taken from Black Minds Zine

This cassette EP, recorded alone by a solitary misanthrope 'Unknown I', impressed me greatly with it's dark morbidity and paranoid hysteria. Musically, Emit play in the style that Abruptum did all those years ago, namely "black occult noise hatred", as it says in the inlay. Still, this is guaranteed to wipe the smile off your face; the howling feedback noise, occasionally descending into fractured, quasi-riffs, is in turn sombre and demented; the vocals screech and howl with maddened rage, pain and torment; and the atmosphere is bleak, psycho-depressive and disturbed. Not the sort of thing you could play all the time and enjoy, but when you're in the mood for it, it's perfect. Kill yourself! Jamie [7/10]


Review taken from Mother Goat Webzine

From what I’d heard from various people, I was expecting something very similar to Abruptum. And, basically, this does bear many resemblances to the Swedish legend, but  I don’t think this is so similar to Abruptum in the end. This demo consists of four tracks, but actually they form more of one large whole than individual tracks. It’s a journey into claustrophobic, cacophonous, dissonant, chaotic and oppressive darkness. This isn’t as evil as Abruptum at least tried to be, instead this is more like an audial form of an insane mind. The music consists of some calmer parts, but mainly cacophonous, horribly distorted guitars, that sometimes sound almost like riffs/melodies, but not quite. There are also various weird effects, sounds and subtle background melodies that add to the atmosphere, and the vocals which consist of screams, howls and insane laughs. Actually, the vocals do remind me of Abruptum. There are no percussive elements on this demo, which is a shame. The Dark Bleeding would definitely have benefited from some random-sounding, Abruptum-like, percussion. I quite like the sick atmosphere of the demo, nicely complimented by the echoing, claustrophobic sounds and the chaotic “structures” of the tracks. As a whole, The Dark Bleeding is a genuinely interesting and intriguing tape, but occasionally it becomes repetitive, and towards the end it does start to become a bit boring. However, I still prefer this to Abruptum, and find myself liking this bizarre piece of Black Noise, and recommend this to everyone. Be warned, though, The Dark Bleeding will be too bizarre, too fucked up and too chaotic for most people. As Black Noise should be. 2.5/5


Review taken from Pestilent Webzine

Emit is a British one-man project the music of which is post-industrial mixed with dark noise, described by the member as 'black occult noise hatred'. Not really another Abruptum though, since Emit's music is much more dense and, so to say, eclectic. This mini-album has four tracks, the first of which sounds like loud aeroplane take-off with uncanny tittering and squeaking taking place in the background. The production can be compared to the worst efforts of Moonblood (!), though it has nothing to do musically. A constant reverb like heavy rain smothers most of the sonic details. However, this does not detract a lot in my opinion. The second track ('Dead Before Death') begins with an out-of-place melodic solo which reappears distorted throughout the rest of the 'song' combined with some breathless inhuman crying. Ghostly, extremely distorted feedback and some semi-thrash 'riffs' occasionally rear their head from the ongoing noise. 'Communications With Shadows' has totally dissonant but strangely rhythmic guitar scrapes and a very raw improvisatory feel. 'Unknown I (Greets Me Again)' is by far the best track, long and full of thick and blurred, swamp-like church organ tones, bizarrely reminding me of Ligeti's masterpiece 'Atmospheres'. In fact, like most explicitly modern art, Emit may sound trivial at first listen, but it becomes almost trance-inducing when one learns how to manipulate it properly. I hope this gets released on CD or vinyl very soon. 8.5/10


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Black Metal in the style of Abruptum, Stalaggh and so on. As someone maybe already knows Abruptum for the mostly of the time laughed during recording sessions. A good proof of how much 'true' was the 'kult scene of the past'. On the contrary, according to what label says, "this contains REAL emotions, self-abuse, etc! This will make you feel like your worst nightmare. Pure agony in the form of an audio tape". If this is true, Emit would have to be surely supported much more than Abruptum. Musically it's a sonorous form of torture and you have to listen it only when you are in a certain wood I guess. Personally I really like it but these kinds of kaotic musical structures can't be appreciated by everyone so my opinion is to get it only if you like Abruptum and similar bands or if you want to try something new. 6 ½



NORTT - GRAVEN
Review taken from Franang

Nortt is about Doom Black Metal with it's full meaning. Tunes unwind in a very slow and depressive way, where everything is but sadness and emotionless. The atmosphere is totally empty, without any living forms, Nortt is in funeral reign. The gravedigger buries dead bodies tirelessly on a music close to Funeral (Nor), early Katatonia. The tempo is extremely slow as beating the very last world existence minutes. Nortt creates a pretty macabre and gloom musics veil with such a way of playing slow, slow compositions. Even though this march is a bit long, this voyage can't keep you unconcerned.


Review taken from Deadtide.com

Editor's Note: I've heard a lot of music in the last four years, and this album is one of the few that left me completely stunned. Anyone who has any interest in brutally honest, organic, depressing music must find this. Muxlow.

If there is a hell, and I end up going there, I want Nortt to be playing the entire duration of my journey to the illustrious inferno. Nothing, and I mean nothing would make the time go by slower, nor be as hauntingly appropriate as Nortt's latest release, "Graven".

If there has ever been a slower, doomier, more depressive album by a black metal band, I surely have not heard it. "Graven" is some of the most fucking haunting nightmarish black/doom metal ever written. During the course of the five long songs, and intro/outro, Nortt (Nortt is the band, and the name of the sole member) sorts through one emotion and one tempo: sadness and slow, respectively. The songs drone at a snail's pace, the drumming nothing but a meager programmed pulse of the same slow, trancelike kick/hi hat combo for most of the entire disc. The guitars are a constant buzz of riffs so slow, that they just haunt as a constant static pounding complemented by extremely somber piano work buried under the amalgam of guitars and vocals, of which are the most consuming black, filthy throat cancer laced growl I have ever heard. Keyboards are laced throughout every track, just acting as a background aura to help achieve Nortt's goal of you wanting to either cry or kill yourself, depending on your mental stability. When the guitars aren't just the sad static of the background, they are being picked slowly, sadly, sounding like an old tube amp in a cave. If this brings any comparison, at times Nortt sounds a scant like Summoning, just about ten times slower, and much, much more evil.

The overall direction of the record (lyrics are not included) is of death and the grave, and it shows, to quote the layout, hits the coffin nail right on the fucking head. Every song on "Graven" is a carbon copy of the preceding track, much like most black metal, which is fine, all culminating in an hour of bleak misery. Never have I heard such a devastatingly desolate album, and as much as I admire the sadness of an act such as My Dying Bride, the black path of Nortt is much more fitting to my palette. The drone of "Graven" sucks you to your abysmal end so slowly, at the same time each ten minute song is over before you know it.

Sweden's Total Holocaust really has something with Nortt, as well as themselves becoming quite admired by me as a label. There are some hard to find earlier Nortt works, which I also will recommend, if you can find them. I would however start with "Graven" because black metal - slow, fast, true, cult or whatever - doesn't get much better than this. This one is definitely a top five for the year, and we are only four months in.


Review taken from Eclipse Zine

The mad eye has glanced in my window. Had not time to fall down yet transparent tears of heavens as I have noticed convulsive twitching red veins. The grey pupil did not foretell anything good. It as if searched for a victim inside a black room. Clinged to the grey, shabby furniture, nervously examined her and again continued the search. Through any time I have already got used to his strange tricks, for me it there was simply usual grey eye. Every evening it visited me, be I in grief or melancholy, whether my head from infernal tortures and a wild pain was broken off or I simply was in a veil of depression, mine, already almost becoming to me the friend the grey eye visited me. It hours examined my grey dwelling, looked narrowly somewhere in a distance of my cave, as if trying, something to find, something familiar, but second, click, it blinks. Yes-yes, it blinks, as I before it did not notice, it convulsively shudders, when will come across a grey wall of a gloom. His veins boil, blood darkens also click, it again blinks. Hm, strange, I do not see lips if it was a ugly eye, instead of so fine, grey and thin probably I would not search for lips, but was not present, I peer through glass, as if trying them to find on that party. They in fact too should move, when will come across a grey wall of a gloom. I search ?

A week, eyes me does not visit the whole week, that with it, it is sick or sick I. Where the eye which to me was the unique friend in my grey den was gone. The snow why I have thought of it, in fact I for a long time did not see a snow. Yes, here it, my old friend, a grey eye. SHCHuritsja it today it is unusual. Why it does not notice me, it searches not for me? It is insulting, as if the old friend was mistaken and has gone not to you, and to yours to the neighbour. It looks through, it is not pushed away any more with grey emptiness of a gloom, she attracts it. Madness, an eye wants to break a side to appear inside this infinite gloom, emptiness, a mad fog which so excites my brain. The eye was gone, hardly it was necessary to me to approach closer to a window, it was dissolved and only light of a grey stone, a brick and concrete behind that side. A week. I search ?
If you would like to feel all pain of loss, loss of soul that the mad cold has rolled on your consciousness, this disk that recipe, which each henchman of a devil posmeshit to you to register. The grey, melancholic river, forces you to look at itself, as if grey obodok a night mirror. You are naked, each vein is impregnated trombotsitami and eritrotsitami, they compete, all of you are floating also feel, it so madly slowly. These feelings manage to be transferred only to one Dane - Nortt, it is his mad project which it has adjusted under stylistics " pure depressive black funeral doom metal ". Certainly, the author feels in own way, the writer in own way. From black style here only a drop of bitterness, a grey strike of an intolerable pain, viscous devil rage, something similar to us managed to be heard on albums Burzum. But in the rest, it is really cold and grey funeral-doom, filled with all melancholy Skepticism and pain Shape of Despair. Grey, in better quality of this word, slow fraction of drums. Silent support of keys which as if a grand piano at top of a rocky hill announce a trouble and force alarm. But the basic role is allocated in music to a crude sound of guitars which sound as if from an interior, any gloomy cave, it as an inducement on zhivtsa which collects the stray souls. A slow rhythm, music of loneliness under so lonely man's, rough roar, which as if surrounds you (such mad effect of presence), sometimes roar transforms in mrachnejshy the choral and sticks into your brain slowly and slowly hundreds small grains of mad ideas. It yields to you fruits of sick imaginations, it is difficult for understanding (lyrics all on Danish), but these grains will sprout during dream when you most all are vulnerable. Will sprout, when you already will approach to that side for which cold and icy cold not so are terrible. Will sprout then when your ideas are deeply shipped in in inside your, personal I. When you one when you revel in loneliness, a melancholy.

Mad album which for so small period could so quickly to take hold of my consciousness. This CD can be put with ease on one shelf with such klassikami a dark genre as Silencer, Bethlehem, Shape of Despair and in greater degree Skepticism. The maximum ball from my subjective opinion for fans of mad loneliness!


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

As one member of the band told me "The CD "Graven" is identical with side one on the "Mournful Monuments 1998-2002" tape. It's a recording from 1999, so actually there are no new tracks". The Danish Nortt plays something that could be described as depressive Funeral Black Metal, I think that musically it's similar to doom but with vocals nearer to black than to doom. Slow and depressive atmosphere is what you are going to feel listening this work. I think that it's rather original and the result is really very interesting. Only problem, as already said, is that it doesn't offer any new tracks, so if you have already the above mentioned tape you won't find anything of new, except the format of course. 8



SVARTR STRIJD - EN SISTA VIND
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

This project is one of the more depressing work I have ever listened so far. Slow, sad, mesmerizing Black Metal in which the main elements are the agony of the life, desperation, suicide, sleepless nights, disgust for mankind. The whole compositions contribute to create desolate landscapes of nocturnal, suicidal beauty. The only problem I can see is that at the end of the tape two songs are repeated in the rehearsal mode, and I really don't think this was necessary. Anyway, the abyssal screaming is great and the whole songwriting is for sure mature and convincing under any point of view. Unfortunately this demo has to be seen as the end of Svart Strijd itself. This is the only release and when is over also the project won't be anything else but a memory. In any case the mind behind this project is now actives in "Black Circle" although here his songwriting is, of course, much different. 9


Review taken from Franang

This demos is composed of 5 tunes plus 2 taken from a rehearsal. If you read carefully to the band title you yet can guess what this Swedish band performs : nihilist and misanthropic B.M. Indeed the tracks are most of the time mid or even slow tempo, with repetitive riffs. The main influence is obviously Burzum but I'd always point out some Satanic Warmaster ideas in the way the lads play the guitars. The vocals are high pitched screams, with Sweden lyrics (unfortunately I can't understand any words!). The composition are pretty monotonous, but not the way of being boring ! This demo has a professional sound excepted for the reh tracks. Even though this kind of B.M has been played thousands of time before, I like this demo tape as there's a great solitude feeling within and the songs are pretty well set up.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

On cassette! Be forewarned, those of you without cassette players. This semi-precious little slab of depressive, ponderous black metal hailing from Sweden is so goddamn KVLT it is being released on cassette ONLY. A black, unlabelled cassette at that. One of these days an underground metal record label is going to out-KVLT us all and start releasing secretly numbered, (fuck off, eBay whores!) limited editions on shellac 78s. Hand cranked Victrolias will be so fucking METAAAALLL!

Despite or because of the novelty of this being on cassette; it actually turns out to be a nice, to-the-point package. Song titles written in Swedish, notes in English. Non-Swedish readers may assume the subject matter is "suicide" from the graphics of razorblades, hanged men and the picture of the lonely room on the front of the j-card.

The record starts desolate enough with "Fard II": a short, trance inducing, and seemingly requisite, Burzum-esqe/Windam Hill ambient keyboard piece.

Then to the meat of the record with "Da det sista droppnena blodd leveats pa min handled" and the next two songs, which are all guitar/drums and screechy black metal voice recorded almost as primitively as possible and lots of long, drawn out, three chord progressions with slow and barely keeping-in-time drums ala Burzum.

Pretty enjoyable, although honestly there's not really much here to make this stand out from the rest of the raw BM, Varg worshipping hordes, except for the commitment to its own garage aesthetic. Which, it needs to be noted, is commanding.

The last two songs are from supposedly from "rehearsal" tapes, and the recording style is damn near conceptual, to say the least. On both songs the tape hiss is louder than the actual recorded level of the band, so you gotta crank your stereo loud enough to hear, but at that point the room is rumbling from the tape hiss alone. Put that together with the fact that this is a one man band that couldn't possibly rehearse with itself, and that has probably just mic-ed up a boombox with its music playing. Absurd, but fuck'n cool! Recommended, with a grain of salt. (7/10)



NFH - HACKELSEKISTA
Review taken from Deadtide.com

I do not really know how to approach reviewing Neillerade Falibilisthorstar; the music contained therein is just about as confusing and odd as the name. And coupled with the fact that Sweden’s Total Holocaust released this, I am just kind of confused, to say the least.

For the most part, “Hackelsakista” contains no actual music, just a lot of noise. Not noise in the hard to listen to, recorded like shit, no talent category, but noise in the way of sounds; metal clanging, moaning, animals, bells, wind, fire, rattles etc… the songs presented here come across as background to a movie, not like a score, say with an orchestra, but the ambient, natural sounds of the earth that we do not really listen to anyway. Track 1, “Jasande lera,” is twelve and half minutes of a slow rumbling burning, paced by footsteps, low strings, and just odd noises, most of which I cannot really decipher. Followed by “Samman,” which is very woodsy, with a lot of metallic noise and what sounds like dirt being shoveled, meanders along for 8 minutes before we hear a woman screaming, and shit being kicked around as if we are privy to a struggle. “Castrol: 265965” is ten more minutes of the same rhythm-less, clunky noise. For the most, the CD is devoid of any actual instrument, melody, rhythm, measure or structure. I am not going to say that it is bad, but quite un-listenable, but not totally useless. The idea is admirable, the recordings (recorded in nature, not a studio, I believe) are excellent, the complexity of everything is deep, but I just cannot find a place for it in my playlist. The whole disc seems to be firmly rooted in an industrial plot, save for the few instances of what seems like African nuances. Anyway, this CD is weird, and I commend it for that highly, because weird music is always fun.

A quick final note, the whole CD gives off a horrific vibe very, very similar to the Italian horror maestros of Goblin, a group from the 70s-present who scored horror films (Suspiria, Deep Red, the original Dawn of the Dead among tons of others), and “Hackelsakista” reminds me of them big time, most notably their score of Suspiria, which I recommend over all others (a lot of their stuff sounds like bad porno music, but not that score…), and if this was packaged much more in a “horror” type direction and not the mountain/lakes layout, “Hackelsakista” would come across much differently. Just my humble opinion; an interesting record to say the least.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

A very peculiar release to say the least. But like name, like music.

What sounds like a non-stop field recording of random things at first will slowly open up, revealing layers upon layers of abandoned nature sounds mixed with despondent human sounds and turn into an almost mythic journey, only to come full circle, again sounding like the soundtrack despondent, ancient journey that you just took.

Sounds complicated. I know, but trust me, you want to hear it.

"Jasande Lera" starts the journey: slowly walking through the beginnings of a forest, looking for dry wood, building a fire near a pond, your travel mates doing their business and providing a sense of society amidst the lush wilderness. Something doesn't feel quite right...

"Samman" continues the journey: frightening tribal-like rhythms scare away the silence and something is going terribly wrong. The forest is not what it seems and the shadows are no longer shadows. Distraught howls fill the air and you fear the worst has happened to your mates... All hell breaks loose.

The story goes on, but it is for you to find out how.

This is an ambience album in the true sense of the word. "The special atmosphere or mood created by a particular environment," is definitely what is created, or should I say used, on Hackelsekista. Extremely frightening when the dark has settled outside and everyone is asleep.

Not for the faint of heart. But for the restless wicked. (9/10)


Review taken from Franang

This weird CD is about 5 long songs (almost 15 min each) of nature noise. You can heard sounds of footstep in snow, waterfall, wood cutting, birds and human streams. I must say that I don't see any interest in listening to such album as it could much more fit to a movie than an audio listening.



XASTHUR / ACID ENEMA
Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

If there is any beauty or artistic value in tar running down a weathered stone wall, then look for it in Xasthur. This split with Acid Enema is actually some sort of re-issue, if you count the limited edition, CDR-only albums that were made some years ago. Well, thanks to Total Holocaust Records, you don’t have to pay $50 on eBay anymore to get this little gem of one of the US’ most important black metal hordes.

This split is an excellent pairing of two bands that have a common thread yet deliver something unique and independent of the other. Xasthur is like mortals’ excruciating trudge through the monolithic swamp of some fantasy interpretation of the material world. The beautiful, ethereal reprieve on "Doomed by Howling Winds" is like the collective sigh of relief of souls newly departed to a much better place. But as we rise above the miasma to view this angelic scene, so we fall back down.

Acid Enema begins with a lilting, soft-spoken intro before tearing into its own version of one-man black metal fury. Acid Enema feels more straightforward and traditional that Xasthur, but the production values, vocal delivery and intent is dead on. A shame the scene hasn’t heard a thing from Acid Enema since. You can read a cryptic message by Acid Enema’s sole member to the world here: http://acidenema.widerstand.org/

Xasthur has gone on to release far better material, but that shouldn’t speak less of the quality of this split. Black metal fans, here’s the chance you have been awaiting for a while.
(Xasthur: 7.5/10, Acid Enema: 7.5/10)


Review taken from Vampire Magazine

Since a few weeks I discovered this band. Xasthur is, again, a confirmation of the quality of the US Black Metal scene. I think Xasthur is, together with Nachtmystium, Weltmacht and Judas Iscariot, one of the most interesting bands in the nowadays US extreme Black Metal scene. Xasthur is a one-man project, like lots of extreme black metal bands, Malefic is responsible for all instruments and vocals. This split CD with Acid Enema is Xasthur’s most recent release. The part of Xasthur contains 5 songs + an intro. Characteristic for the music of Xasthur are the long repeating/raw guitar riffs, which creates a depressive atmosphere that sometimes flow into a totally desperate feeling. In general the songs are mid-tempo played with a few faster parts. At some moments Malefic slows down the songs to spread; with the help of keyboard/samples, melancholically intermezzos upon us. Vocals are limited present in most songs, biggest parts of all songs are instrumental. Only the Xasthur part of the split-CD makes this release already worth buying.

The second part is for Acid Enema. I never heard of this project before, yet I was positive surprised by the songs of Acid Enema on this Split-CD. Also the Acid Enema part contains 5 songs + an intro. As like Xasthur also Acid Enema creates depressive, raw black metal; yet in a less inaccessible way and with an industrialized touch. Although I like Xasthus better, Acid Enema doesn’t disappoint at all. Songs like ‘Holocaust Reborn’ and ‘My Dying Breath’ are great ones. There is only one failure on the album and that’s Acid Enema’s version of Mayhem’s Deathcrush. I have to admit that this is a original cover, yet Hardcore Dance beats mixed with the Guitars riffs and lyrics of Deathcrush is in my opinion a kind of sacrilege. Despite of this cover Acid Enema impressed me with their songs on this split.

Both, Xasthur and Acid Enema, are very interesting raw underground black metal bands, Especially the Xasthur is from a highly gifted level. Yet only trained ears will unlock the inaccessible doors and discover the lost heart and raped soul; yes that’s a compliment, and hear the intention of this true black metal masterpiece.



THE ONE - GUARDIANS INHUMAN
Review written by ANDEE OF TUMULT RECORDS (WEAKLING, DRAUGAR etc.)

Another blast of insane black metal chaos, this time from an entity known simply as...THE ONE. And chaos it is. Sure it has all the hallmarks of grim fucking black metal, but this is so weird and sloppy and punishing and weird weird weird. Everything (drums, vocals, guitars) is drenched in reverb, so that when things get going, I mean really going, it turns into one intensely hellish blur, that sounds almost like Merzbow with only the occasional cymbal crash to help you keep your bearings. The drumming, when not lost in a dense cloud of impenatratable bllllleeaarrgghhh, is a weirdly stumbling beast, stuttering through arrhythmic fills and continually fluctuating blast beats. And then there's the vocals. Some of the most insane ridiculous vocals ever, heavily distorted and reverbed monster growls that threaten to overtake everything they're so high in the mix! And tempo changes and new parts are occasionally demarcated by a very loud grunt that is reverbed through the roof or some maniacal sinister laughter also drenched in effects. There are also all sorts of bizarre sounds underneath the frosty onslaught: what sounds like jaw harps on track four and the hoofbeats of horses elsewhere. But at it's core, like Graveland or Nargaroth, The One takes black metal into the almost static realm, creating totally buzzing blurry drones, assembled from super distorted riffs and rumbling basslines smeared into endless washes of hypnotic sound. So totally mesmerising but completely insane and absurd at the same time. Highly recommended for fans of black metal weirdness/insanity a la Necrofrost, Abruptum, Vondur as well as the grim black metal blur of Nargaroth and Graveland.


Review taken from upcoming Issue of Terrorizer. Written by Nathan T. Birk

The One’s debut proper, Guardians Inhuman. The aural equivalent of a black candle burning down, and erratically, to its empty core, this album decomposes in real time, all rattling pulses, flapping strings, broken woofers, otherworldly voices, and meltdown sonics, everything so wrong yet so right, the two irrevocably blurred: By most accounts beyond description, this will positively FRIGHTEN even the most hardened cynic, and forever. Almost its equal – although, technically, a (LONG) demo pressed onto CD.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

San Francisco's black metal supporters are in the grips of The One fever. Yeah, the band's name is just "The One." One guess as to how many people are in the group.

Actual quotes overheard at Aquarius Records, in San Francisco’s Mission District:

- "Dude, did you get that one CD? You know, that ONE?"

- "The One may be even more retarded than Benighted Leams. It’s AWESOME."

- "I’ll have a The One, please."

We just uttered the R-word, retarded, which used in conjunction with black metal, nearly always means utter godliness. And such is the case with Guardians Inhuman, The One’s first CD album. If you could stumble at light speed through thick black metal fog and haze, all the while being hounded by demonic, flying dog creatures on amphetamines as they play little drum kits strapped to their backs, you’re starting to get an idea.

"Thou Art None," much like the title track, opens with walls of black metal guitar underpinning a franticly picked bass. More slabs of sound converge like that cliched scene in which the spiked walls are bearing down upon the dusty hero. Then stuff slows down to an awkward beat and the dogs start hounding again.

Sped up drums, songs that just stop, fuck ups galore, an album ending ambient track (appropriately entitled "Ambiance") that gives Burzum’s "Tomhet" a run for its money, and fascinating, engrossing mountains of weirdness that only black metal can deliver. Run, don’t walk and get this album. Then, read our interview with The One in this issue. (Kult/10)


Review taken from Funeral Malestrom of Hate.

I have been really pleased by this opus since the beginning. Structures are chaotic but effective. The tracks, although very straight, need some listening to be fully appreciated because the all is rather original, although this for sure purest Black Metal. I think that my interest in this release finds own reasons in the fact that it's really something untypical. Tracks have something of psychopathic, as well as the vocals that seem really those ones of a corpse inside the coffin. The whole atmosphere is oppressing, claustrophobic and insane. Great in other words. Apocalyptic Black Metal, middle tempo based but really various. I think there is not too much to add except that this band is created by the mastermind behind Macabre Omen. Each track has a musical approach whose effect could be described as the pain created by some nails put inside one soul. I advice this release by all means. To end, I quote a passage from last page of the booklet (with all lyrics): "We are all dead.. we just don't know it". 9


Review taken from Maane Webzine

A debut album for the self made man Evil Dark, based in London, he showed that Black Metal in the UK is not the bombastic idea that the whole Europe got of this controversial nation. This inhuman opus shows a full hatred against trends and humanity which is "dead, but doesn't know it, yet". I am listening to the cruellest and cynic black metal that a one man band could ever produce, cold and grim to chill the bones. The One create a state of trance which decompose your brain without the use of any kind of substances. A proper "Negative" album, furious and row production with a singing that reminds Attila in "The Mysteriis Dom Sathanas", but tremendous metaphysical, deeper and penetrating without escape, a continuing spell on your shoulders. Musically speaking, the guitar riffing, the drumming and the low frequencies of the bass are what could have been Mayhem next chapter, if Euronymous would have been alive and BURZUM following album after "Det Som Engang Var", if Grishnack instead of looking around for killing would have had a musical collaboration with Euronymous. Let your mind be mesmerized by The One himself. Cause this is a Black Pearl of Black Metal. 6 / 6


Review taken from BLACK TERROR METAL ZINE

THE ONE is a project born in England, specifically in London, by the sick minded Evil Dark, that after MACABRE OMEN, has formed this "one man" band. The themes (as we can understand by the moniker) are Misanthropic, totally against the actual society and every sort of religion. So his music follows the arguments expressed in the lyrics, giving an obscure Black Metal, minimal made on dark and slow rhythms and very depressive compositions always mixed with a melancholic aura. In this work the atmosphere is stronger indeed the violence, rarely we can hear speed, than are dark sounds, which seem as coming from the grave to dominate. All this seems coming from a cave because of the production, which is not noisy. but turns everything to the classical Norwegian style. A performance that thanks to the madness drives my memory to the great FURZE, of "Necromanzee Congent", even though it is not at the same level. Listening to "Guardians Inhuman" won't be easy, especially at first, in fact it needs many times, because it is hard to enter inside this artist's sick mind. The 6 tracks, follow the same themes and none of them prominence on the other, even though my favorite is "I am The One". A particular consideration goes to the last track; very interesting pure ambient delirium and coldness which can remind something of new BURZUM. So, this debut, is a good album, nothing special, but surely nice to hear for someone who has got a predisposed mind to this kind of sonority.



IMPIOUS HAVOC - THE GREAT DAY OF WRATH
Review taken from upcoming issue of a yet un-named Swedish zine

Finnish black metal has never really been that interesting, I think. Therefore, I was very pleasantly surprised when this good looking LP started to spin. The black metal that Impous Havoc deliver some kind of northern sounding black metal, without anything labelled as gay by the musical polices of the underground (i.e. there are no synths or female voices present). I have personally not got a problem with more "beautiful" (BM can never ever be whatever beautiful means to the common man, but everything is relative) approaches as the ways of darkness often are seductive, but this feels honest, straight to the point. There is something that Impous Havoc lack off though, and that thing is variation. The albums starts off with a wall of strong black metal that has some very eerie melodies and an appealing atmosphere, but nothing happens after that, and everything grows a bit dull. If I were to do some name-dropping, Emperor during the early days would be the first one to mention. There are some similarities with other Finnish bands such as Horna as well, but all in all, Impous Havoc stands strong on it’s own. "The great day of Wrath" is a debut-album (?) that I approve of, and I believe that they will evolve into something really interesting if they keep on doing this. The lyrics are too much of a cliché though, but they still serve some kind of purpose, being held within the borders of black metal. The LP is most likely sold out, but don’t worry, THR have set loose this release on cassette too.

Graded: 6+/11



NORTHSTREAM - TIME OF TRIUMPHAL CLEANLINESS

Review taken from Franang

This pretty short album immediately remember previous releases from Burzum, a kind of mix between "Hvist Lyset Tar Oss" and "Filosofem". Actually the band has this typical burzumish melancholic side you can find in the mentioned albums through repetitive, mid tempo riffs. The songs structures are also pretty close to the Norwegian band with songs with few different riffs. When it comes to the vocals I'd say they are low scolding ones, with a gain effect, a bit à la Clandestine Blaze but less extreme. The band conveys a bunch a great atmosphere in which despair and loneliness reign. "The Way To Eternal Memory"' the five song, is perhaps the best one with a worth melodic guitar introduction and some entertaining ideas. Northstream uses a drum machine that here and there destroys the feeling of the tunes due to an inadequate programming.


Review taken from Deadtide.com

So; upon first glance of “Time of Triumphal Cleanliness,” the last thing I would expect is cold, slow black metal. The art, layout, fonts, etc… just do not say black metal; however, I do know this is on Sweden’s Total Holocaust Records, so anything other than black metal would be impossible. So, that said, the art just screams at me “rock record,” or “emo/hardcore record.” Nope, Northstream is good ole “let’s go play in the woods” black metal (which we all know I have a huge soft spot for…), that begs for me to like it.

So, do I like it? Yes and no. All music contained therein is written pertaining to a certain Ideological conception inspired by their “Great Native Land.” That’s cool, guys, but if doing such a tribute, include lyrics so I can know what exactly you are paying homage to next time, ‘kay? Musically Northstream plays pretty melodic, kind of slower black metal; a little generic, with a good gruff vocalist, Scald, who writes all music as well, accompanied by Thorn doing all lyric writing and synth drum programming. Ahh, now here my complaints shall unfold…

I have no problem with drum machines, as I have said before, my band uses one, and I like it. Lots and lots of (black metal especially) bands employ them, and that’s fine, but in the case of Northstream, the drums are so blatantly programmed, it gets very, very annoying. There is a slim chance that they are purposefully going this route on purpose, creating this somewhat mechanical sound, but the programming is so basic it just begs otherwise. For instance, on the opener “When the Forest Crying,” (no typo there, people) the same drum beat plagues the song for over five minutes, over various riffs, before finally changing, and the song fading out mere seconds later. And now we come to complaint two, this one being far more condemning than the drum machine. I love, and I guess prefer long black metal songs. For me, “epic” has never fit any genre so well as it has black metal, just my opinion, and Northstream has all the trappings to construct such songs; but they have every, every song fade out in-between 4-6 minutes, not including the two, “The Way to Eternal Memory,” and “Under the Crystal Sky,” which are both under 3:30. Every song fades out, just as I am beginning to think that they could go on much, much longer. The false ending in “New North” is absolutely unnecessary, fading out, then back in, only to end 30 seconds later. It is just weird, as if I am only listening to a sampler, I.E. – the Immortal promo for “Sons of Northern Darkness.” However I am not, just a weird fucking CD, with weird fucking fade outs… ARGH!

So, do I recommend it? Yes to those that love, cold, primitive, under produced (weak drum machine) black metal such as myself, and a definite no to anyone else. Thumbs up for the idea, and the over all haunting sound, but a big thumbs down to the absence of the much longer songs that should be present here.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

Could we appeal to the guys in Northstream to turn the drum machine down? It’s, like, WAY too loud, resulting in an album that sounds like the ratio of steak vs. parsley version of black metal beat box vs. some guitars and vocals that are under there somewhere, and you probably won’t care.

Musically, think the Russian response to the Ukranian band Hate Forest (long, runny guitar buzz, drum machine, and low-for-black-metal vocal gurglings), but much more clumsy.

And we can’t go any farther without mentioning the album title, Time of Triumphal Cleanliness. Maelstrom HQ takes a certain pride in owning arguably the worst movie ever, "Cabin Boy," on DVD. For those of you who have seen this essential film travesty, think of the triumphant Chris Elliott who gloriously exclaims that his pipes are clean after having lost his virginity. Or think of the bald, muscular Mr. Clean, but with corpsepaint on. Our advice: rent "Cabin Boy," openly regret it but be secretly thankful you did, then listen to your Hate Forest CDs and associate the two experiences together. The result will be like listening to Northstream.
(4/10)



ANGANTYR - KAMPEN FORTSÄTTER
Review taken from Pestilent Webzine

This is a side-project of Holmgang, and as material it is obviously very different from the named band. My impression was that of understated and stern music with archaic, but somehow very significant, atmospheres and moods. 'Portene Abnes' begins with two keyboard chords repeated in succession, while other moods and elements start closing in until the distorted guitar tone sets in, creating a beautiful ominous counterpoint which increases in tension gradually, making the listener anticipate a climax which is then achieved in the succeeding 'Stormen Fra Nord'. This song's structure recalls the godly 'Filosofem' of Burzum in its epic, but compacted, detail, helped alot by the simple, but ambiguous, distorted chord repetitions. A few keyboard lines highlight the ravishing end of the song in brilliant grandeur. 'Landeplagen.' is simple, yet again, bewilderingly multi-directional in scope, with successively tragic and victorious moods fighting for attention, the dynamic shifting bringing to my mind Xasthur and Arckanum. The music is undoubtedly made a lot more expressive by the ably controlled vocals. The fourth track is ten minutes of cold and very dark ambience, through which scintillating rays of light may suddenly appear, only to drown back suddenly into the unbearably oppressive mood with no trace. This mood continues for quite some time into the next track 'I Der Knaeler I Ynk' which at about half its duration bursts again into Burzum-like, almost polyphonic dismalness. 'Da Frostvind Blaeste' is maybe the most non-deceptively to-the-point song on the whole length of the album, with a clear dismal but upbeat riff, while the last song is an inconsequential though fitting instrumental outro. Grab this fast because only a thousand copies exist, and I think it's one of the best releases of its year. 9/10


Review taken from upcoming issue of Terrorizer. Written by Nathan T. Birk.

Angantyr’s frequently psyched-out Kampen Fortsätter, instilling the quicksand catatonia of mid-years Burzum with epic and elongated song-construction, albeit quite slight in both respects and still trash-canned to the nines; yet another high/lowbrow collision, and to freezing effect.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

The latest trend in black metal evil seems to be... people’s houses. Krohm did it on their latest record, and Angantyr decide to do Krohm one better by using a scratchy/fuzzy picture of what could be a church or maybe even a city hall.

Speaking of fuzzy, Angantyr does the black metal version of blissful, audial haze well. The M.O. here is not to sound as evil and blasphemic as possible. In fact, the most striking tracks are the most minimal, atmospheric ones. The gem of the album is "Intethedens larm," a 10 minute, spacey instrumental foray that never fails to grab the listener and lull him into its floaty etherealness. "Sidste kapiteli en endelos fortaelling" ends the record as a necro, melodic black metal instrumental.

The remainder of Kampen Fortsatter is good going – solid and with that sense of melody typical to the raw black metal bands – but you’ll really be buying this CD for the two specifically mentioned tracks. Nice disk. (7/10)


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

I remember clearly the early demo of this one-man band. Music was raw and underground Black Metal in the Nordic vein. This cd is the re-release of the second (if I am not wrong) cd-r demo. Music hasn't changed too much so it's still very good. There are some good blood-freezing atmospheric moments, a remarkable and extreme screaming and the usual orthodox Black Metal done in the style of the early '90 Scandinavian tradition. It's a very good release, something between middle-tempo and faster moments with some very good ideas. It's an interesting album, only problem is the cover that could have been printed in different way, too 'grey'. 9



ASKA - FÖRINTELSEHYMNER
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Another interesting project from Sweden. Musically this can be described as fast, orthodox Black Metal done in a very good way. Screaming is desperate and all tracks make understand clearly that there are some serious potentialities. Of course you are not going to find anything of original here but all tracks are really well-made and interesting. Unfortunately lyrics aren't included but I read in one interview they are all about "sick and twisted stuff like torture, suicide, rape, murder etc.". Limited to 500 hadnumbered copies so if you are interested contact the label. 7


Review taken from Norðurljós

Aska is a new one-man project by Pisk of the disbanded band Demoriel, Aska plays a totally different style of black metal than Demoriel did, a style which reminds me of the raw and unpolished black metal you can hear on Abyssic Hate's "Suicidal Emotions" but in an even more obscure form. The demo was written and recorded in only four days so that would explain the raw sound on this demo... The production is far from perfect on this release but it fits the music perfectly so there is nothing to complain about. So if you are in the mood for some raw and depressive black metal, look no further and go buy this demo.



BLODULV - II
Review taken from Deadtide.com

I am keeping this one short and sweet, because about two hours ago, while riding my mountain bike on some trails, I went over the handlebars going quite fast, and I hurt. So, other than lay around bored and in pain I will write a review. Enough about me…

Blodulv play black metal like a ton of other bands, but they do it very, very well. Definitely running rampant throughout the seven tracks is the prerequisite Darkthrone-isms, however, Blodulv keep things quite melodic, rarely employing a blast. There is a hint of Finland’s Sargeist here too, which gives them major, major points in my book (Sargeist’s “Satanic Black Devotion? was on my top ten last year…). Vocals are the standout on the record, a gruff rumble accessorized by subtle distortion. I guess it kind of sounds like any black metal screech, just recorded through a pillow. I love it. Hooks and catchy riffs abound, adorned by a great dreary atmosphere, for instance the slow part on the opener “Desolate,? right after the “Call this breed a murderous cancer…? line. Great lyrics; black metal lyrics tend to always be a low point, but here they are a tad better, not too much of the generic “Satan is our Glorious Savior!? type shit.

All in all, this CD is getting better and better every time I listen to it, and if things go well for me and Blodulv it may get a mention with next year’s best of list. Really good stuff.


Review taken from Maane Webzine

Blodulv is a black metal band from Sweden. Very raw and brutal and old school. This album simply called II is a very nice work of black metal. The tempo is pretty fast but there is also a couple of slow parts aswell. Blodulv blew me simply away, I didn't see this coming at all from a underground band like this. After all Blodulv have settled itself in the underground with 5 releases including the first album. The band is signed on the great label Total Holocaus Records which also has it's base in Sweden. The vocals is great, it reminds me a bit about Pest from Gorgoroth. But that may just be my opinion. Blodulv is a great band and everyone who likes black metal should definately check these guys out.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

Blodulv’s mid-paced, plodding take on black metal is boring, yes, but not without its charm. It’s really all about the circumstances surrounding when you listen to it. Driving around in your car? No. Working out at the gym? Neither. But listening to II when winning the pennant in the Japanese baseball leagues on your Playstation 2? Magic.

Repeated listens revealed appeal something like the folk tune equivalent of black metal songs. We’re not talking about black metal/folk here, with its acoustic guitars and nostalgia for the old country. Rather, we’re talking about simple tunes whose qualities gradually reveal themselves to you like the layers of an onion. The variations within each of the seven songs on II are subtle, but listen to them from as many situational varieties as you can, and you’ll pick up on something different.

Sound-wise, Blodulv is thin and chilly, with the vocals lost somewhere in a pocket-sized hurricane. The compositions are somewhat understated, again drawing comparisons to folk music. II could be a solid grower, but you may want to spend your money on something else, particularly considering all the other stuff coming out on Total Holocaust Records. Keep reading our pages to find out. (6/10)


Review taken from Franang

As the album is titled this is the second release from Bloduvl and what could I say ??? Mmmm… something has changed since the first release, it's as if the tunes are all written in the same time and the band decided to share them between 2 different album. The music stay in the the mid tempo, depressive B.M field with a gained vocal and a strong stress on the melancholic side. The only different comes from a better production with a little bit increased in the mastering. All in all both albums sound alike so I don't see any point to release exactly the same stuff once more, why not just recording one descent album ?


Review taken from Erebus Magazine

At this point I am new to this band and so can't begin this review with some kind of tracking view of their development over time, if there indeed has been any. No, Blodulv (meaning - what? Blood wolf?) spring fully-formed into my consciousness as I play this album the first few times, without introduction or faltering, halting herald's steps, without any kind of slow seeping pestilential rumor whirling through the underground. I am forced to face this with only my own experience as a guide...

So, of course: black metal. To be more precise, Norwegian early-90s style black metal from a Swedish band. For the most part Blodulv seem to draw influences from Gorgoroth's first two or three releases, maybe a tint or slightest trace/tone from Darkthrone's third, fourth, and fifth, and then in certain "melancholy", meandering, slow melodies that fill out the background in their songs they might or might not be flaunting a resonating reference to Burzum. A very simple construction, then, nothing too complicated or overly shaded, nothing deliberately technical or complex, nothing at all unexpected or experimental (this is a completely traditional affair), all the songs following a few basic rules of elaboration: mid-paced or sluggish tempi in extremely rudimentary drum patterns (basically all cymbal, snare, and kick - like '50s rock or some kind of teenage garage band), one or two repeating (repetition is the primary compositional method of this band) guitar segments (when two are used - one being the foundation chord progression, the other being a complementary second guitar that comments upon and illustrates the first structural riffs with a more melodic/lead line), a bass guitar that might or might not be there (I can't tell), and snarled, echoing screams, chants, and Satanic calls to the dark sent through distortion effects...sounding much like Gorgoroth, once again, or some of Mutiilation's early recordings. The overall impact, then, is purely "nostalgic" and you can probably hear this band in your imagination based on what I have said already. For those of you who adore the other bands mentioned above and can't get enough of their primal, deliberately atavistic mode of operation, look no further. Blodulv has been pressed from the same mint, descends from the same blood (sorry) lines...they lope, gallop, and soar, at times, along similar paths.

However out of all the bands doing this kind of thing, playing in this style, there are a few who at least seem, in their songs, to know what they are doing and why they are doing it, and don't lose their train of thought as they play or go down paths they are not suited to explore. There are a few bands who just seem very comfortable within their self-imposed genre/style restraints and so never appear awkward in their compositions...this can also just be a result of extensive reworking of the songs, fine-tuning them to a certain point of rigid definition. In any case, Blodulv are one of these bands...

In having such a traditional/conservative approach, the only avenue Blodulv has open for them in terms of crafting music that may express personal/idiosyncratic emotions and signify or symbolize their own situations, events, desires, etc. is just the riffs that they have chosen, the primary melodic forms they are plugging into the equation of standard Norwegian black metal. Even these riffs are half-predetermined, or at least their structural alteration and progression through the unadventurous, conventional forms of the compositional process are concretely defined, so Blodulv must try to squeeze as much feeling and personal emphasis into these simple note strings at their earliest, before they have been seized by the trad black metal machine and ripped and recombined into Darkthrone form A or Gorgoroth form B. Do they succeed? At times. At points an almost-original tone is struck, a doorway opens into a world that could offer something new and noteworthy to the listener. These moments mainly manifest themselves in the more adventurous (in terms of songwriting patterns applied) segments such as the slow dual-guitar embellishments and hesitant exploration of the possibilities two contrasting melodies can offer the trad Norwegian configuration. See the portion of "Stronghold" starting at 3:20 for an example of this, where the band applies a "folk" theme that distantly evokes Amorphis...it appears again at 6:00 in an altered form. Also noteworthy is the opening of the next track, "Tyrant", built upon a similar two-guitar interaction. I can only hope that Blodulv seizes upon these ideas in the future and explores them further...I don't want to see them becoming even more primitive.



CORPUS CHRISTII - TORMENTED BELIEFS
Review taken from Pestilent Webzine

Corpus Christii are one of the relatively modern bands taking black metal back to its tenets while of course remaining exclusively underground, this excellent release is one indication how this can be done. The band, consisting of two people, are unusually not afraid to use long sequences of major scales to highlight the majesty which can be achieved in this music.‘ Melancholy Beginning’ opens with ambient and slow guitar chords reaching towards the heavens, sometimes with intensely tragic cadences, over blast-beats which give a militant sound full of the acidic sound typified by old Darkthrone. The howling trebly distortion sounds like angry winter wind rushing through tall trees, and is no less poetic or wistful. A slower, more initially morbid song comes courtesy of the next composition ‘Forgotten Dead Crow’, which features intense agonized vocalisms over cyclic riffs with the hi-hats supporting their high end. The vocals change considerably for the next song ‘Your Blood In My Hands’, in which they are more spiteful and aggressive in the manner of Gorgoroth with some emotional song structuring one would pretend from Immortal, however, here there is a conscious attempt to make the music more majestic and grand. ‘Arising From The Ashes’ is more simple, with again violent but strangely sad guitar melodies which make use of every available space in the music, the sinewy tones dividing chorus and verse into complementary but independent parts.‘ Devouring Your Essence’ starts with a solitary drum beat before again following the previously used pattern of warm fuzzy guitar tones over blast beats and spiteful vocals. This is probably the best song in the whole album, gradually devolving into frantic thrash-beat driven passages which terminate each of the two halves of the song. The frequently double-bass saturated ‘Being As One With Hatred’ has textures similar to polyphonic chanting, while the excellent ‘Me, The Hanged One’ utilizes a slow, Bathory-like ambient beat with strange moaning vocals. The last track begins semi-acoustically and then transforms into an epic and majestic thrash/ black nugget not dissimilar to Mutiilation, bringing an excellent album to an excellent end. 9.5/10



HYPOTHERMIA - SUICIDE FIXATION
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Another tape coming from Sweden, and again we find depressive, slow, haunting Black Metal. Screaming are full of anger and desperation and for sure some Burzum influences can be heard here and there. But the whole result is quite impressing and rather original, I really have liked this tape. The demo can be described like a concept album concerning suicide, at least this my impression because I can read only one lyric in English, rest are in mothertongue It's a really great album, similar to Svart Strijd and surely better than stuff as Abyssic Hate I think. So if you are in doubt if committing suicide or not try to listen this before. What you are going to find is 5 tracks (including intro and outro) of suicidal, agonizing Black Metal. 8 ½



IMPIOUS HAVOC - AT THE RUINS OF THE HOLY KINGDOM
Review taken from Franang

Walking in the path of old '90 B.M steps, Impious Havoc come back with their second full-length. This Finish band is strictly into the crude way of playing this art, as they're rough as hell and straight in the head without any sweat parts. Nevertheless, this band reminds me a kind of mix between some Sorhin's melodies, Darkthrone mid tempo ideas from "Panzerfaust" (especially the early riffs from "Dark Sacricife") and a bit of Craft through the unclean way of playing songs. The vocals are low mid-shrieking one with a deep reverb on. The songs are pretty convincing as they unveil a wicked feeling. Some of the tunes have the typical Scandinavian's riffs such as ""I Am All" while others smell the dirty B.M atmosphere with buzz amps noise before the song begins. Definitely a stuff to listen to.


Review taken from Deadtide.com

Man, Total Holocaust does not cease to impress. A thoroughly dense black metal label, releasing discs, tapes, and vinyl from all reaches of the genre, they are dropping hammer after hammer of really good black metal schwag. Impious Havoc is right there in the thick of it laying out some truly fine, desecrating old school (sorry for the pun) havoc. Songs are delivered in the Venom-ish vein, but caked in cancerous black soot. Most employ a basic song structure with choruses and what not; thrash attacking the “holy kingdom” with a biting glee.

There is old school flavor running rampant, this cd is fun to listen to; bringing bits of Venom, old Enthroned (I know they aren’t “old school,” but these guys tend to remind me of them), old bouncy Darkthrone and more to the game; I find my self smiling and gently banging my head to the rhythms the entire listen. The few lyrics I have read and remembered I sing, with a very sly grin; “The moon is full, and the time is nigh, infant flesh must be sacrificed to satisfy our dark lord Satan.” Yeah, it is pretty run of the mill, but with every carbon copy that may come out in this genre, a few will always triumph.

Each song does tend to be interchangeable with the next, but with this style of thrashy black metal, that usually pleases me. The vocals are a pleasant flat rasp, delivered with great accent. The riffs are sharp and punk-ish (this is good), the drumming is bouncy and pretty basic, but perfect for the mood of this band. I am enjoying “At the Ruins of the Holy Kingdom” much more upon every listen, and hope to hear more very soon. Excellent blasphemic old school black metal debauchery.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

This is the first time that I have a chance to listen this Finnish band so I can't tell too much about it except that I have seen that there are some other releases by them available. They play raw, fast Black Metal and the first thing that has to be pointed out is that the songwriting is rather mature to make songs enough different among them and with interesting musical structures in way to don't make the songs too monotonous. Vocals are really various, although always remain the classic black metal way of screaming in any case. The whole result is surely very interesting, enough violent and intense in my opinion. About 40 minutes of orthodox Black Metal with many good ideas. I think this band is rather promising, I am really curious to listen their future new release(s). 6 ½


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

There’s an old adage: "find one thing you’re good at and stick to it"... or something of similar consequence. Well, Impious Havoc is good at writing one simple slab of straight ahead black metal grimness. The guitar sound is an angry hornet’s nest, a whirring buzz contained within a small space. The rhythm section meshes well, bass and drums fluid in keeping a monotonous pulse. The vocalist rasps with gusto, full of angry imprecation. It’s an all together tasty bit of muted, monochromatic goodness.

There’s always a catch though, isn’t there? See, Impious Havoc can write a good song, no doubt. Problem is they proceed to play that song over and over again within the course of At the Ruins of the Holy Kingdom’s forty minutes. Seven tunes, all blending into the other with a nary a variance in sight. Play mix and match with the titles, doesn’t matter, interchangeable. Try to pick out something distinctive from just one song an hour after listening to the album in its entirety. Betcha can’t.

Impious Havoc should, at the very least, be recognized for one achievement: creating an entire album with a drummer whose kit has one cymbal. Yes, one. And it must have been a yard sale special judging from its inordinate lack of sustain – it sounds like a window slamming shut, the crash gone before the stick has even left the metal’s surface. He does love it, working it like a pro. Then again, rhythmically speaking, there wasn’t much choice.

A few suggestions? Next time, take your latest song, save some studio fees and release it as a single sided 7" – instant collectible. Or, if the gods are whispering in your blackened ears, excise all the breaks between tracks and create a forty minute endurance test. And maybe a bake sale to get your drummer another cymbal. It’d be the neighborly thing to do. (3.9/10)



INFINITY - THE BIRTH OF DEATH
Review taken from Erebus Magazine

How strange is it to discover yet another black metal band from Europe with basic problems of establishing their own identity? Perhaps...not very strange at all, maybe even a commonplace at this time, at this late date in our favorite genre's (lack of) evolution. So what do we have here, what visual and aural evidence is offered to us, what signs are broadcast for us to pick up on and either attract or repulse us? Common logo, center pentagram, outreaching alien serifs, pointed extensions from the letters f and t upwards to a star or point of light that perhaps signifies "infinite" aspirations. Cover art? Nothing too obtrusive or external to genre qualifications/clichés, a shadowed forest cemetary scene with an overlaid bird skull...perhaps (hopefully, for the band's sake) a crow or raven head, in keeping with the "corvus corax" theme of their earlier demo and the song by that name included here ("corvus corax" is the scientific name for the raven, as most of you probably know). On the inside, on the tray card, we have a living raven or crow (I can't tell the difference), on the back of the tray card there's another bird in flight beneath the song titles. This would be, maybe, something of an identity ideal they could rally themselves around, except for the fact that Immortal already used the whole "raven" idea, linking them to Poe, other "dark" archetypes, etc. Speaking of Immortal, there is a definite influence from that band spread throughout the seven original tracks here, culminating in the last track on the release, a cover of "The Sun No Longer Rises". This cover version of a song from what must be one of this Dutch band's favorite idols/groups is unfortunate, not only because it makes the influence from Immortal that much more obvious, but it shadows their own original material and is, I believe, the best song on this CD. The fact that Immortal makes their presence known so strongly on this album without even (probably) being aware of this band's existence is not something calculated to spread confidence in Infinity's creative powers.

What else before we get to the music, in the realm of appearances and overt symbols? Let's not forget the corpsepaint the band uses, which is amusing (they at least try to do something original here), the pose of band member Quasar (I know) on the back of the tray card where he appears to be doing his best Blizzard Beasts impression, the center placing of member Balgradon among the three musician pictures, obviously because he's the most important person here - playing almost all the instruments and (I'm guessing) writing most, if not all, of the music. It also says in the lyric booklet that he managed the recording, production, lyrics, etc. We know who's in charge. So, Balgradon, why do you like Immortal so much? Smile. The artwork spread throughout the packaging here evokes a few common themes: satanism, diabolism, "astronomy" themes (i.e., the entire "Infinity" concept and perhaps a link, stylistically, to Abigor?), death, the raven once again, etc. The lyrics (which are thankfully included here) are nothing out of the ordinary, really, keeping this band firmly within the context/tradition of black metal, but they are at least well written, and imaginative in their own right. I'm not going to really comment on the "Black Metal Is Intolerance" or "Infinity supports Black Metal Mafia" texts on the tray card, these are just genre symbols or badges like anything else.

Now, to the music itself: as I alluded to above, Infinity seems to still be at a stylistic crossroads with their own musical ambitions. While they appear to have solidified certain extramusical symbols of identity and also give the impression of being firmly placed within an imaginative world that allows for an easy excrescence of lyrical subjects or ideas, this, so far, doesn't seem to reflect a corresponding security in their powers of establishing an original sound world. The references (what we would also call symbols of "influence", being kind) are just too strongly in evidence here, and where they do appear they are too instrumental in the song structures, too obvious to let a listener avoid the recognizable song forms absorbed from other bands. Now this is of course unavoidable within any form of music that is as traditional or conservative as black metal, one can only link the bands within this genre together (and thus allow labels of identity or categorization) by pointing to a common vocabulary of forms - however the best bands in this genre, or at least the ones who stand out the most, are the ones who are able to take this shared repository of song ideas, melodic forms, and production possibilities/allowances and still wrest something from the collective unconsciousness that resonates without being openly derivative. In a word: originality, or at least what passes for the truly novel and creative in such a tightly-controlled, oppressively, externally determined art form. Infinity should, in my humble opinion, take their own moniker a little more seriously, and starting reaching outward. If one is going to appeal to the cosmic, shouldn't one attempt to escape the mundane?

As for the influences on display here (and it's perhaps telling or disappointing that I discuss this album by just pointing to influences, but what can I do?) we have the aforementioned and reverently enshrined presence of Immortal here (just listen to the third song, "Back to the Source", and it all becomes clear), the folk melodies and acoustic guitars crossed/paired with electric ideas of Polish black metal, perhaps a Graveland nod or a tip of the hat to the collectives descending from Darken's shadow, the drone of Burzum (see the teasing nursery rhyme riff opening second song "Flames in Hunger") - which also gives off a distilled scent of mid-period Bathory, and reminds me (this one riff) of Judas Iscariot, although the 12-string guitars here are played well and are pleasing to the ear. There is a stylistic rift here as folk segments do not show up in later songs. Parts of "Frozen Cries" directly echo Dark Funeral. For the most part, however, this is high speed, raw, somewhat crude and simplistic conventional black metal, although a lot of the "simplicity" of the music just appears in the easy, unalloyed song forms used and should not lead one to believe this is two-chord Gorgoroth or Darkthrone worship ala Blodulv, labelmates of this band. Inverted root-fifths and minor chords abound in sliding progressions and charging, destructive runs. Things change momentarily in the fourth song, "Heart of Stone", as the band slows down and explores a more epic, relaxed, open series of riffs and structural ideas. The opening of the title track immediately leads one's brain towards the neural net created by "Hammerheart", but then a Swedish barre chord blizzard intrudes and mixes in with the Quorthonisms. Strange. I would like to hear more of this from them in the future. I also appreciate the way, in certain places, the production sound changes as riffs change. This is a result of digital editing, or cut and paste assembling, I am thinking. The drum sound makes me think, without a doubt, "analog recording" (maybe even a four-track, the drums seem to clip at certain points, on cymbal crashes), while other parts appear to be digital overdubs. Interesting. Typical stuff, as I have been saying, but it has its moments and keep a jaded enthusiast like myself engaged for short periods.

What else can one say? This is Infinity's third release, counting their demo, but according to the information on their website the band has been around, in one form or another, for 5 years now, spending some time, actually, as a solo project. They can only go upwards from here. I hope to see them exploring new horizons in their music in the future, and striving to replace the dominating influence of their favorite bands with a respect for their own possibilities/visions. Time will tell.


Review taken from Franang

This is the band from Balgradon Xul from the well known underground combo Funeral Wings. The 8 tracks delivered here are nothing but pure hateful Black Metal with a raw touch yet sophisticate sound as all instrument are clearly mixed and produced. The first album coming in my mind while listening to this release is "Total Death" from Darkthrone. Indeed, I found plenty similarities between both albums : the vocals are almost the same, both guitar playing are close, a kind of old school Black Rocking Metal. But don't get me wrong Infinity is not a second copy of the Norwegian album. Infinity comes with personal riffs and ideas such as "Flames In Hunger" that has a little epic touch or the blasting "Frozen Cries" song. The song structure is pretty efficient as even though the album is a bit long it's never boring. I'll point out the great work on drumming raising which turns the album into a real destroying piece of B.M. of "The Birth Of Death". Definitely a stuff to get.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

Storming through 50 minutes of excellent black metal, Infinity sounds like a fine hybrid of “holocaust metal“-era Immortal with the softer yet none less proud folk sensibilities of Falkenbach.

Check out the album’s best track, “Corvus Corax,” for a highly energizing roller coaster ride whose drum track alone warrants the price of admission.

The Birth of Death brings together a cult sound that doesn’t stand in its own way with very strong compositions and energy that start off engaging and improve with each passing listen. And to wrap it up, a very nice cover of Immortal’s “The Sun Never Rises.” Makes you want to go and rediscover your copy of Pure Holocaust for the hundredth time. Highly recommended.(8/10)


Review taken from Deadtide.com

Infinity cross raw, cold to the core black metal savagery with the somber despondency of black hued Agalloch to a scant, but effective degree; the swirling acoustics that start track one, “Our Cruel Vengeance” could have easily been a throwaway from “Pale Folklore.” The comparison is pretty much axed to death right there in the snow, only to appear again on “Heart of Stone,” which could have easily been a throwaway from “The Mantle.” Other than the (probably only obvious to me…) Agalloch-isms, “The Birth of Death” is cold, nasty black metal, and it kills. “Back to the Source” riffs it up Judas Iscariot style (major points, guys…), ‘Flames in Hunger” is dirty Darkthrone homage, all songs are played in the styles of stalwart bands, but all with Infinity’s signature on the page.

A record that I kept passing on until now; and now I like it more and more; the three piece Infinity is probably my least favorite of what I have heard from Total Holocaust, but they still keep my attention. The art and concept seem a little generic, but in this chapter of the black metal hymnal, it doesn’t really matter. A great fucking disc that I will be listening to more and more.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Infinity is a Dutch band featuring one member of Funeral Winds, Balgradon XUL. The album can be described as something between middle-tempo and fast raw Black Metal with a very good screaming. The use of acoustic guitar in the second ,fourth and fifth track add a good atmosphere, and the whole album shows skilful musicians able to create good songs. Tracks are interesting and the final result is ok but I think that to see the true potentialities of this band fully developed it's still needed to wait one another album. In the meanwhile this cd is 'just' interesting but it is not able to 'emerge' in an over-populated underground as the present one. 5 ½



HELL MILITIA - CANONISATION OF THE FOUL SPIRITS
Review taken from Metalreview.com

To many, myself included, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas remains, to this day, THE black metal record, a bloodstained monument of unadulterated perversity that remains unsurpassed by any of the shameless plagiarists that have germinated in their wake. Of the torrents of black metal records currently saturating record shelves, only Darkthrone’s Transylvanian Hunger, Master’s Hammer’s Ritual, Samael’s Worship Him and Tormentor’s Anno Domini deserve to be mentioned within the same breath, though in all fairness none of these records even begin to approach the transcendentally macabre feel of Mayhem’s landmark recording. Here was a band that had freed itself from the rudimentary trappings of their previous demos and sculpted their nebulous sound into something far more captivating than even the trance-inducing, atavistic sloppiness of Deathcrush. Simply put, DMDS is the sound of misanthropic spite distilled and cohered into cacophonous hymnals, stark venomous bile regurgitated via chillingly minimalist soundscapes. The whole album, even today, feels surreal and nightmarish, as though it were recorded in some alternate dimension, as though forces were at work to create a testament to infernal majesty. It exists on some otherworldly plateau, a creation spawned from a metaphysical level of consciousness.

Of course, Mayhem’s fortunes have declined with the storied demise of Euronymous and Dead, the notorious Hellglammer fogging up the subversive focus of the original formation with incomprehensibly messy, cybernetic sounds. With the glorification of the Mayhem legend, certain bands have risen to rest their corpse painted posteriors upon Oystein Aarseth’s frigid throne. Of these, Watain and Inquisition have attracted the most favorable plaudits, each absorbing the hellish doctrines of DMDS and projecting them with renewed vigor. Throw France’s Hell Militia into the fray, then, for though they blatantly pilfer from Mayhem’s insurmountable legacy, they manage to infuse their blatant idolatry with plenty of believable conviction and caustic spite, in turn outdoing many of their contemporaries at the Connect-The-Freezing-Moon game.

From the opening strains of “Psalm I- Burning Human Pigs”, it is painfully obvious who Hell Militia owe their sonic debt to. Dissonant, layered guitars and frosty Hellhammer-esque blasts erupt into a flesh-flaying, searing reinterpretation of the formulas pioneered by Norway’s proudest export. 02:40 into the track, and we have the requisite sparse guitar passage buried beneath squalls of dissonant white noise and feedback, a brief reprieve from the impending malevolent onslaught. Everything is so well-emulated here, shit, check out the Dead worshipping vocals, absolutely on par with even the most tormented, putrescent Dead performances (Live In Leipzig, anyone?). It almost feels like everything in this record is deliberately hammered and crafted to be a living, breathing homage to a ubiquitous legend, and if it weren’t so engaging I would be the first to scream bloody murder and peg them as two-bit pretenders with little more to offer than insipid mimicry.

Yet, one cannot deny the sheer force of the compositions on offer here. The songwriting here is among the best I’ve heard in quite some time- transitions are flawless, and there is a VERY keen sense of dynamics at work here that draws a most favorable comparison to their revered forefathers. “Black Arts Of Crime” exudes a truly haunting, phantasmal feel, the drummer doing a great job at evoking atmosphere with stark hi-hat/tom patterns. The track proceeds to shift seamlessly into a full-speed, blasting passage, tainted by genuinely unsettling screams and the enveloping, impenetrable billows of sound that the guitars conjure. Fuck! This is great stuff! Somehow, all my most cynical impulses are aroused every time I listen to this record, but they are abruptly extinguished, quashed by the sterling songcraft that prevails from first minute to last. While I typically DESPISE blastbeat-driven black metal, or blastbeat-driven metal in general, the drummer here displays a laudable finesse for playing at various blistering speeds (ie fast, faster, and warp speed, with loads of rolls wedged in between), as well as playing very minimally when the need arises, establishing most pleasing parallels to the unmistakable stylings of Inquisition’s Incubus. He plays within the parameters of the song and exemplifies everything an extreme metal drummer SHOULD be- frantic when the song demands it, economical and calculating when the need surfaces.

A few words should be spared for the production here, which is COMPLETELY uncharacteristic of a Total Holocaust recording. Everything is thick and hefty, and it is apparent that considerable thought has been placed into shaping the right sound for each instrument- the drums have been tuned to sound like HAMMERS, and the guitar sound is filthy and unhinged, yet clean enough to allow the nuanced dynamics to really peer through the claustrophobic haze. For such a small label release, this record is absolutely on par with any of the bigger budget Osmose recordings, with trebles and basses equally well defined.

While one may assert that AntaeuS and Arkhon Infaustus have been playing this style for far longer than these fellows, I think this record is far more interesting than anything either of those established bands have issued to date. In fact, of the current crop of grim, blasting Gauls, I’d venture to say that only Ad Hominem have released an effort this dynamic, bombastic and consistently intriguing.


Review taken from Franang zine.

This band is formed with members from Anteaus, Mutiilation, Arkhon Infaustus and guess what their play ?? A kind of brutal version of Swedish orthodox B.M, keeping in the vein of Deathspell omega and Co. The mandatory aspect of this band is brutality and straight B.M ideas which are show off in this release, as all members are into well known bands. The result could be rather interesting but actually Hell Militia isn't that much exiting for several reasons :first of all, the vocals done by Willy are extremely dry and lack of deepness; that reminds me a lot of the poor vocals from Krieg. Then when it comes to the musical parts, actually all the riffs in this CD comes from their main bands, so I don't know where is the interest of getting this kind of release. Nevertheless the artwork really kicks the ass.



NEFANDUS - THE NIGHTWINDS CARRIED OUR NAMES / BEHOLD THE HORDES
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Also for what concerns this horde, it's the first time I hear about the Swedish Nefandus. I should add that I had to know them before because this cd is awesome. I am not sure if this is the best cd released by THR but it's for sure among the first 3 or 5 at least. Music can be described as something similar to a mix between Enthroned and early Dark Funeral, and indeed this is fast, aggressive material with a storming drumming and possessed, hateful screaming. I think it's interesting to point out how behind the music there are surely skilful musicians. The material included is the first full length, ("The Nightwind carried our Name") and the demo ("Behold the Hordes"). I found both really interesting, and there is a hateful atmosphere spread by one of the best riffing that is possible to find around I guess. Nothing to add except that this entity had among its members Belfagor of Ofermod and that it's released in 1000 units. 9 ½


Review taken from Franang

This CD is the re-release of the whole Nefandous discography : "The Nightwind..." being the full length and "Behold..." the first demo. For those who have never heard of Nefandous before, this band consisted of member from Ofermod and Sargatanas Reign. The 11 tracks of the full length are pure Swedish Black Metal, in the old vein which means a pretty fine compromise between oppressing riffs and some melodies. The vocals are very great, as they are both tonsils and "chanting", actually they remind me a lot Dawn's singer and music. Some tunes such as "All Fira Jesu Dod" or "From Beyond The Gates" are really amazing hymn of orthodox Black Metal without any compromises, and shows nothing but hate and anger against Christian pigs. When it comes to the demo songs they have been re mastered in a professional studio, but keep the raw side of the material. They are most more violent and faster than the stuff from the album, so it gives a great view of the early Nefandous. So Nefandous are in the vein of early Nidden Div 187, Dawn and stuff like that, don't miss this re release. The only shame is that the booklet only contains a pictures without lyrics.



XASTHUR / ANGRA MAINYU - SPLIT
Review taken from Deadtide.com

Ooh, every time new cds fall in my lap this good, I shudder. Well, anything with the Xasthur logo affixed to it makes me shudder anyway. Here we have four more songs in the bleak style that only Malefic can craft, depressive as they are hateful; as destructive as they are progressive, as haunting as they are mesmerizing. Very abstract, deep as fuck black metal, less static and fuzz flavored as prior releases, more constructed around a grim black metal template, and not so much of a hate-filled clusterfuck.

The pre-requisite aura of depression and fuzz is still very prevalent, just more hidden behind guitars and vocals, rather than the vice-versa condition of the older records. There are more riffs, very sparse and buried riffs, but more riffs than before, Malefic’s vocals are way more in existence on this split (compared to the re-release of the debut, where almost all of the vocals have been removed), less buried in reverb, and more audible. The drumming has improved, being some of the better programmed drumming in the raw black metal field of play. The double bass run in “Soul Abduction Ceremony” 2:42-3:07 is fucking devastating. Everything here is just better than before. The production is clearer (to an extent, the static film of Xasthur is part of the allure), the guitars are more than just an atmospheric buzz in the background, the songs have more of a direction than before, and the whole gloom effect is as haunting as it gets.

Featuring two new songs, a new instrumental, and a long Wigrid cover, Xasthur’s side of this split is by far the champion over Angra Mainyu (see additional review), and some of the better progressive, grim to the hilt black metal there is. Hail Xasthur!

A louder, clearer, more traditional black metal sound comes to life from Angra Mainyu’s side of the Xasthur split; slower songs in older patterns bring forth a little of the progressive Xasthur/Leviathan (US) sound coupled with the riffing/arpeggios of slower Judas Iscariot, Gorgoroth, or maybe Darkthrone. The songs drone along, mostly chords are picked rather than strummed; the drums are a simple background rhythm, vocals are a pleasurable tortured screech. The songs tend to be short for this style of black metal, “Zeitlos” being a scant 1:55, and the longest, “The Light of Those Who Failed” being a respectable 6:51. Things speed up on “They Bleed to Death,” my favorite of their side, a faster, much more traditional black metal song that’s has everything where it should be. Very good. Not much to say here, Angra Mainyu blend somewhat basic black metal ideas with progressive black metal ideas to excellent effect, creating a very good, raw black metal sound. And to tell you the truth, as a release on its own, I would enjoy this more, but coupled with the Xasthur tracks, it loses something. A great effort from a young band that should hopefully make themselves known quite well from this split, and with Total Holocaust backing them, they should be tearing shit up in no time. Good stuff.


Review taken from Franang

Xasthur delivers 4 tunes in this split with a Wigrid cover "Ort Der Einsamkeit". I'm pretty amazed by the productivity of this American band as this is the third release from them I review in this issue. Anyway, nothing changed since the previous materials, excepted that Xasthur now plays in a brilliant way, without the early release mistakes. Songs were written between '99 and '02, and are still enchanting, nocturnal hymn in the glory of death with the never-ending tortured background vokills. Musically I can't say much more than what was described previously, nothing back great dark Black Metal. When it comes to Wigrid cover, I'm not so much into Wigrid, but when Xasthur interprets it turns much better than the original. Angra Maninyu have 6 tunes here of mid paced Black Metal. The song structures more or less remind of Judas Iscariot slower tunes, with a creeping vocals à la Noctu from Celestia. The material is played in a very underground way, with a huge gain on guitars (sounding a bit like early Polish guitar gain). The slow drumming created a desolation feeling, pretty uncomfortable but excepted that the songs are very unoriginal and a bit badly played. This band needs more rehearsals before coming back.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

It’s a real credit to Xasthur that you can tell what band you’re listening to within instants of hearing any one of the prolific one-man project’s work, and the material on the split with Angra Mainyu is no exception. However, Xasthur’s Malefic could have recorded these particular songs in his sleep. But a sleepwalking Malefic equals a good handful of raging black metallers from lesser bands, and I’d take the former any day.

The big highlight on Xasthur’s “side” is the cover of Wigrid’s “Ort der Einsamkeit.” True to the values of the original (which in turn is true to the values of Burzum), the cover song is worthwhile beyond being a great piece of music, but also to cast Wigrid -- a band that, although mimicking Burzum, is very under-appreciated -- in a richly deserved light of praise.

Speaking of which, Angra Mainyu’s “side” takes a few pages from the book of Burzum, proving yet again that good black metal is as much about being able to make a certain sound as it is to compose music. Angra Mainyu’s material here sounds very strong (think thick and cryptic) in its vocals and guitars, but it won’t be the most remarkable thing you’ll hear composition-wise. Still, it’s pretty hard to go wrong with any split featuring Xasthur, and this one is no exception.
(Xasthur - 7.1/10, Angra Mainyu 6.8/10)


Review taken from Vampire Magazine

When I first heard about this split I immediately ordered it, because Xasthur is one of the most interesting Black Metal bands around at the moment. This US one-man project of Malefic released in the past few years already some of the finest pieces of most desolating black metal you can imagine. With his typically way of using guitars; repeating riffs, fingerpicking melodies, depressive tunes, sometimes it even sounds like they’re played out of tune, yet it all fits perfectly in the songs, Malefic creates the perfect soundtrack for a slow and bloody torture of the whole humanity. Which is strengthen by his ice-cold screams, painful and overflowed with hate. Again the 4 song of the Xasthur part of this split are exactly as we’re used to hear, yet without getting bored for even one moment, actually the longer I hear the music of Xasthur the more I get into it. Like on all of his releases I can make some comments about the production of the music, not everything is produced as good as it could be, but fuck it, that’s the beauty of black metal. With a clean production most of the raw black metal releases will be as dead as God himself. Xasthur is just one of the few original sounding underground black metal bands around and I just can’t get enough of his music. Songs like ‘Soul Abduction ceremony’ and the great Wigrid cover ‘Ort der Einsamkeit’; which is in my opinion even better as the original, are 2 of the most depressive yet purest pieces of Melancholic Black Metal you can imagine. The other six songs on the split are for Angra Mainyu. I’ve never heard from this band before, so this was my first acquaintance with this band. Also from Angra Mainyu we hear depressive, raw black metal, which isn’t bad at all, yet after the devastating part of Xasthur it becomes clearly that Angra Mainyu only stands in the shadow of Xasthur. Despite that the 6 songs we hear from this band aren’t bad at all, the burzumish guitar-riffs are great to listen too and the songs doesn’t bore at all. Some riff and tempo changes doesn’t flow over total flexible and not all is played without some slight hitches, but all by all Angra Mainyu is an interesting band to keep an eye on in the future. This release is a great split with 4 amazingly desolating pieces of melancholic black metal from Xasthur, one of the best USBM bands around at the moment, and a welcome acquaintance with Angra Mainyu, a magnificent band which did an excellent job on his part of the split.



RAVEN DARK - RULERS AGE
Review taken from Franang

Raven Dark comes from the Eastern part of Europe and obviously plays NS Black Metal in a bald vein. The songs have extremely simple arrangements while memorable riffs are not among this album. Most of the lyrics are in Russian language excepted for three of them that are in English. The release doesn't convey anything thrilling and sounds déjà vu for most of the riffs. The production really lacks of quality too as there's a boring buzzing noise in the middle of the tune.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

One of the band of the Blazebirth Hall legions has been finally released by THR in cd format after that only two tape demo's were made available in the past by Stellar Winter. Raven Dark comes with Russia and except two tracks (that are the same that it's possible to find on Night and Fog Part 2 compilation) that can be described as atmospheric (something in the vein of early Satyricon), for the rest it's totalitarian and raw Black Metal done with aggressiveness and attitude. Material that can be found in the album is dated "1995-200". It's a good releases of unmerciful and totalitarian Black Metal I think. Labels wrote that "During track 4 of Raven Dark - Rulers Age CD album, there is some static (clicking) noise present, that goes into the track and then fades out, and is somewhat present for the rest of the album, the same static noise is found on the master I have here, so it should be there, even though it has been mixed more up front on this final cd production. SO if there is any complaints you should know that this is the way it will sound. So if you are picky about PERFECT sound, you better buy something else". In any case the cd is now sold from label at a cheaper price to balance this (little according me) problem. 7 ½



MATRICIDE - BLACK MASS GATHERING
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Satanik Black Metal at its very best. A good comparison could be Katharsis and Funeral Mist. The tracks can be described as fast, aggressive and destructive in the way that the Black Kult deserves. The bestial screaming has to be praised as well. Music, although fast, is rather various and shows a good technique while playing (underground doesn't mean that one can't playing) but of course you haven't to expect something of 'too' technical here, luckily. This is Black Metal and the eight tracks ( included intro and outro) are an excellent proof of the potentialities of the Swedish horde. I really hope they will release soon something of new. In the meanwhile this is excellent, surely one of the best demo of the underground for who likes fast, still various, tracks. All lyrics are included and the cover is one of the more beautiful I have seen for what concerns demo's. 9 ½


Review taken from Metal Archives (Written by Zara B.)

If Watain are the generals of the current BM army, then Matricide are some of its most indestructible foot soldiers, crushing the enemy with wave after wave of sonic germ warfare. With a sound hovering somewhere between “Cosmic Keys…”-era Emperor and Darkthrone’s “Transylvanian Hunger”, Matricide nevertheless succeed in crafting something brilliant and unique, respectfully nodding to the past without letting it consume them. That “Black Mass Gathering” is only their first full-length is a bit surprising, given the grim confidence displayed in their songwriting and musicianship. There’s no forced posturing or half-hearted attempts at being “evil”: these guys mean every word they say, and wear both their music and their message like a second skin. The album opens with a brief intro which sounds, appropriately enough, like the call to a black mass. Discordant church bells ring out over the subterranean beat of a funeral drum, while some unnamed thing hisses and gasps for breath. As it fades out, a muted riffing announces the start of “Reborn”, and from then on, there’s no turning back. Drums and guitars race relentlessly below the scuzzed out vocals, all held together by a very present but never overwhelming bass line. Whenever there’s a break in the vocals, a brilliant guitar line rises to the surface, filling the void with an urgent riff. A great aspect of every song on this album is that despite the melodic drone, there are enough changes in tempo and exchange of prominence between vocals and instruments that it never becomes dull or predictable. You always feel like you’re going somewhere, and going FAST. The song fades with a crescendo of wailing guitar, only to fade back in a moment later as “Faceless Shadow”, one of the best songs on the album, As it pounds furiously along, a keening guitar riff races above, threading it’s way in and out the vocals. About three quarters of the way through there’s a bit of a break, a static void before the drums crash in to beat it all back into shape. Then everything slows in time to let Gimbrynier let out a hellish howl before unleashing the final verse. When everything stops, the running guitar line trails hauntingly against the silence, the perfect end to a song that would make even the meekest run naked into battle. “Crucifixion” begins with more of the desperate gasping from the intro, hissing atop the tortured screams of an anonymous victim. The lyrics beg “crucify me upon the cross of suffering / punish me for all my sins / crucify my upon the cross of your divinity / I must die in pain to find rebirth within”. Unlike some of their compatriots, Matricide’s handling of the english language surpasses mere competency: if they have limitations, they are careful not to reveal them by overstretching themselves, and they retain a clean poetic aspect without descending into excessive verbosity. This particular song serves as a declaration of willing martyrdom to the Satanist cause, the narrator offering himself up as a “blackened christ” for the cross. With little preamble, the band follows up fast with “The Black Messiah”, another highlight driven by brilliant melody and drumming which ends way too soon. The album rounds off with “Visit Us With Fire” and “Spear of Belial”, the latter being a relentlessly grim sendoff ending with a hellish miasma of shrieks and bone-crushing sound. An eerie outro of muted drums and vocal rasps spits the listener back of hell, and sadly, the journey’s over. The only thing keeping me from giving this amazing release the full score is that it is criminally short. Songs like “Crucifixion” and “Black Messiah” could easily have received a more epic treatment rather than the all too brief and slightly punk length of a couple minutes. That said, there’s no need to walk away for a few hours for a breather when it’s all over: these are songs you want to hear again right away, songs you want crashing into you over and over in waves of exquisitely painful onslaught. It’s albums like this that make me feel that while the early days of black metal were indeed brilliant and ground-breaking, the golden age is happening right now. 95%


Review taken from Franang

What a nice band name. Matricide officiates in what I'd call classic Black Metal, but not in the darkthronish or burzumish way. First of all they come from Sweden, it's pretty easy to guess it thought their sound. The 8 tracks are in the right steps of nowadays religious Black Metal, being hugely influenced by Funeral Mist, Watain, Malign and so on. The tunes carries both a satanic side and a melodious one, through leading guitars. The vocals are extremely great and efficient, this is exactly the kind of vocals I'm looking for when listening this kind of Metal. They're both harsh and grim but enough clear to understand the lyrics, and also have a kind of whispering touch. The sound is pretty good, without being at the top (but it doesn't desecrate the quality of the material). According to me, this band could offer some interesting music in the future on a full length as they've the level to do it.



XASTHUR - A GATE THROUGH BLOODSTAINED MIRRORS
Review taken from Panzerfaust Zine.

To review and describe XASTHUR music becomes more and more useless. Malefic, since his very first recordings, found his own style and consequently keeps to it, not changing it much. So, if you ever enjoyed / molested previous albums with XASTHUR logo on it, definitely you?ll have to take a listen to ?A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirror? (of course those who found Malefic music as boring won?t like this album as well). Anyway, this isn?t new album to be exact. As some of you may remember ?A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirror? was old debut XASTHUR recording, done in 2000, before the first official album (?Nocturnal Poisoning?) was released. But it?s just now, when those old tracks are unleashed in the form of CD, with some bonus tracks. Everything got a new mix, so it sounds like Malefic wanted it to? Oh, there are some differences in vocal parts as well! Don?t know how was the original ? A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirror? sounding like, but this TOTAL HOLOCAUST version is just typical for XASTHUR; with good, raw, but gloomy sound. Musically, you know what it is? Melancholic, depressive as pits of hell, grim, slow all the time suicide anthems (well, except of quite faster ?TRACK 11?), some BURZUM influences (TRACK 13!!!) ? you know it already. There are better albums in XASTHUR discography in my opinion, this one is a little bit boring (77 minutes!!!), especially when you listen to it after ?To Violate the Obvious? for example, but it doesn?t mean it?s crap release! No, it?s actually very good one, great and unique stuff to put in the collection. But don?t expect any entertainment after ?A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirror?, because you won?t get any!!!


Review taken from Vampire Magazine

A new Xasthur album? No, not really. ‘A gate through Bloodstained Mirrors’ is the debut album of this American one man project which was released somewhere in 2001 in a very limited cdr pressing of only 150 copies. Now 3 years later the album is re-released by Swedish Total Holocaust Records and comes with new artwork and a whole improved sound-mix. So I think it’s definitely worth reviewing this re-release. Xasthur creates some of the purest and most desolating, depressive black metal ever made and this release is essential in the history of the band. Although this was the first full-length of Xasthur, Malefic already succeed creating a unique style in the black metal scene, and that’s something not many bands can say nowadays. Most songs are quite lengthy with long and repeating riffs; which don’t bore for even one second because of the minimal changes, variation and additions in the music. A song like ‘Suicide in Dark Serenity’; which is also the title of a Xasthur vinyl release, released in 2003, is one of the best instrumental black metal songs ever made; I simple can’t get enough of this. Xasthur can be compared with the mid-tempo stuff Burzum released mixed with the best elements of a bands like Leviathan (usa) and the cult band Weakling, yet Xasthur is more depressing than above mentioned bands. ‘A Gate through Bloodstained Mirrors’ is absolutely one of the best Xasthur releases till today. In a few weeks the new album ‘Telepathic with the Deceased’ will be released, and I can’t wait hearing that one. When I listen to a band like Xasthur I remember why I am into black metal music! This release is essential!


Review taken from Franang

This album was originally released on a CD-R limited to 100 copies, Total Holocaust Records decided to give a better lay out and a more professional distributing thence here we are. The album was remixed and got a new cover, some of the lyrics were removed. Musically this album was the first step of this incredible American B.M band, which came up with fresh and personal approach. The songs are still grim with this typical misery touch through the background screaming vocals, and the over tuned production. Two songs from "Suicide In Dark Serenity" yet featured in this CD : "Suicidal In Dark Serenity", "Storm Of Red Revenge". I miss a bit the lyrics from this album, according to me the label could have added then to get a better re-edition. A raw Mutiilation cover ("Eternal Empire Of Majesty Death") features in the album. I'm not that much into reedition when the album is sold, but Xasthur's music is so great that if you haven't this album yet, try to get it as the original edition is nearly impossible to find.


Review taken from Maelstrom Zine

Bless Total Holocaust Records for once again thwarting the forces of eBay shark tank obnoxiousness by putting out yet another one of Xasthur’s super rare and cult albums, A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors. The packaging is entirely new (leaving those with the original issue with the unique wax seal with a product to hold on to). What’s more, the album has been totally re-mixed and slightly altered in terms of fewer vocals.

A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors was Xasthur’s first attempt at a full-length album, and clearly established his signature style: a unique, buzzing, throbbing guitar tone that lends a greater sense of the music limping along like a wounded wild animal, doubly fierce because of its damaged condition. The 75-minute album seethes a bloody trail through mausoleums of sound, culminating in a cover of Burzum’s “Spell of Destruction,” which, minus vocals and the signature tom-tom fill of the original, is really the only thing resembling a disappointment on the record. (8/10)


Review taken from Deadtide.com

There is a deep, dark, cold hole in the recesses of just about anyone’s sub-conscience. Where you keep the things that you are afraid of, tormented by; things that would just about drive you to the brink of madness, suicide, murder, etc… Most people do a pretty good job of keeping these things tucked away, some know how to use these things to their advantage, and some live completely immersed in these places; thoughts. This is where Xasthur comes into play. Xasthur is the score to the movies that play in this hole. Xasthur is the house band to deranged insanity.

Comprised of sole member Malefic, Xasthur is the utmost epitome of what every “out there” or “depressing, haunting” black metal band wants to be. Xasthur is pure fucking sensory destruction, the most depraved example of what pure audio desolation is. And mind you, Xasthur is certainly not for everyone. Not even for everyone who loves raw black metal, because Xasthur sure is raw, but not in the unpolished, archaic way of someone like Krieg, but in the trance-like, static buzz flavored way of none-other. The guitars are a penetrating buzz-saw; melodic, and dominating. The drumming is some of the best drum machine battery I have heard. The vocals are a haunting static screech buried under everything else. All is topped by the subtle electronics that meander through all tracks, haunting the mind. The melodies are endless, the riffs, albeit buried in fuzz, are sharp as a rusty gauntlet, the slower, ambient paced intros and outros that pop up here and there are mesmerizing in their winning simplicity. This is not the kind of raw black metal that we are used to; no senseless blasting, no galloping, no sounds of recording through an answering machine; this is melodic, doom laden, atmospheric to the hilt black metal, with a (not small) hint of Burzum (a cover of “Black Spell of Destruction” is on here as well as a Mutiilation cover) styled atrocity, all covered in a stench of putrescent fuzz.

The “A Gate through Bloodstained Mirrors” debut was originally released in a 150 copy CDR format, but the version here is re-mastered by Malefic, and released by Total Holocaust. There are subtle changes from the original, most notable the deletion of almost all the vocals. Yes, you heard that right. This was Malefic’s intent, and no questions should arise. The result is over an hour of the most (I am beating a dead horse, I know. Deal.) persuasive black metal dementia there is. Xasthur gets in your head. Every track is a sonically destructive battle winning its war. The melodies do not escape, the keyboards wander throughout the mind endlessly. This is some of the better black metal of its kind, some of the better extreme music, ever. The way I praised Nortt’s “Graven” (see review), the same way I feel about the United States’ Xasthur; this is the music by which to let your sub-conscience escape, by which to exercise the demons. If that scares you, stay away; if not, jump on this, as well as any other Xasthur you find. It is all this good and better. Again; Hail XASTHUR!



MOONTOWER - BLACK METAL TERROR
Review taken from Erebus Magazine

Not to be confused with Dan Swanö's project band with the same name, this is a traditional Polish black metal group playing in a very conventional manner using a war chest of instrumental techniques and compositional ideas mostly handed to them by Graveland. First forming - as far as I know - in 1998, Moontower to date has released six collections of songs into the underground, including a recent full-length called "Praise the Apocalypse" (which I have not heard yet, but will hopefully track down soon) and a split EP with the NSBM band Ohtar, the actual existence of which I can not actually verify. Before all of this, and before the "In the Shadow of the Wolf" EP on Total Holocaust from last year, which is in no way representative of this band's possibilities and/or potential - although it is indicative of the inspirational debt they owe to Rob Darken, as it starts with a pedestrian, workmanlike Graveland cover - Moontower released a tape demo called "Aryan Metal Terror" in the year 2000 (graced with cover art from an Albrecht Durer piece). This CD is a reissue of that demo. I do not know why Total Holocaust chose to change the name of this release to "Black Metal Terror" (this title was also the name of a song on a EP of theirs called "The Wolf's Hunger"), perhaps that reflects a reluctance on the part of the label to be linked to any sort of NSBM reference (or at least an open advertisement of such), or it might have just been changed because this CD features the demo plus two extra bonus tracks, a cover of Bathory's "Armageddon" and a sequel to an earlier song called "The Tower of the Moon Part II", and as such is not exactly a strict reissue of the demo. It doesn't matter. What I really care about is just having this material on CD, in a media form that will not (hopefully) wear out...

Why? Well, this is simply one of the best Polish black metal releases I've ever heard. When I say "Polish black metal" the archetype I envoke/evoke is of course anything even remotely connected to Graveland, as most of the second-tier bands from this country do not see it as one of their duties to hide their immense debt to the inspiration and aesthetic guidelines of the first few (three - maybe?) Graveland releases. The way that aesthetic debt appears here, on this release (and not necessarily other Moontower productions) is the form the vocals take and the sound and methodology of the keyboards. Other than that, Moontower do not seem to have any kind of direct link to Darken's work...but these two appearances or instrumental qualities are so overwhelmingly important in the overall sound of the material here (and its impact on one's imagination) that to ignore them would require an immense effort of concentration...and I'm not sure the results would justify the experiment. However, in mentioning this delineation of influences on certain instruments and not others, what I'm really trying to point at is the fact that there are elements in Moontower's music that set them apart and make them (appear) original. The leading example would be the guitar writing and the entire sound of the guitar, and its concentration on heavy, thick chord progressions and crunching, rhythmic motifs allied to the more traditional tremelo-picked or quick-strummed black metal riffs. In addition we have a drumming technique in use here that I can not see descending from Capricornus...rather let's fly from that association, take a stab in the dark, and link it (maybe) to death metal ("The Honour of My Blood", 1:45-2:30, rising again upwards into a blast, or very creatively in "Fields of Death" at 5:20) or just basic older thrash. Interesting, and atypical in the Polish scene.

It's the vocals, however, that will capture your attention here as they are so high in the mix and thus buzz eternally at the edge of your consciousness as you reach deep into the analog tones with your ears and try to just isolate certain guitar segments...or the skilled drumming, which is buried beneath a wall of cold, black mud. The screeching, warbling, neurotic strains of Belial (or is it Seth?) call up "In the Glare of Burning Churches" effortlessly, and also distantly link this band within the black metal pantheon with such acts as Mutiilation or...Celestia - dare I say it? It's the same type of tense, stretched, anemic wailing and caterwauling that we would expect from Darken's "witch burning at the stake" emotings or the frenzied obsecrations of most other underground Polish acts. I can not discern that many idiosyncrasies in this portion of their sound, so I'll leave it at that...

What I do mainly appreciate in their traditional instrumental approach is the keyboards. Whatever particular programming style or distinct sound Darken used on his first couple of releases, Moontower almost exactly duplicate that here. There are differences...for example the instrumental sections of the Intro and Outro (capitalized because they are actually separate compositions and individual tracks) feature tones that Darken probably would not have embraced (or even admitted existed), but that is no matter and is just another element setting Moontower apart. However, where the keyboards are traditional, stirringly epic, beautifully dark Graveland-inspired additions, they add so much to the songs just in their basic, rudimentary shadowing and atmospheric, chromatic illustration that their absence, I feel, would be sorely felt. They are the extra 10% that takes the listener over the edge firmly into Moontower's realm, and lets him/her leave the "real world" behind.

As for the two bonus tracks here appended as a finale, I can't say that much about them. The production on the first is of course much better than the earlier demo songs (be prepared for a volume shock if you have the sound turned up really loud to soak in the lunar tones from the demo), the sound on the second is much worse...but that doesn't matter. The finishing offering here, the cover of "Armageddon", is a somewhat...strange version of the simplistic, bestially brutal classic from Bathory's first, with vocals that seem like an afterthought as they are sloppy and ill-performed. I believe it's also almost 30 seconds longer than the original. Strange? In any case it doesn't add much to one's understanding of the influences Moontower may have had in the past (their demo wasn't recorded that long ago, only in 2000!) and I will probably ignore it in the future. The new track before it, "The Tower of the Moon Part II", is also completely different in interpreted intent and technique from the demo material, being much less dynamic and evocative, but carrying with it an interesting and very forceful, direct guitar sound. I suppose one can just investigate this band's newest album if one were really interested in their current direction. Total Holocaust has also released that in tape format, and ISO 666 records is supposedly handling the CD version.

I am grateful for Total Holocaust and Moontower getting together to put this great material on disc, though, as I feel it deserves to be archived and studied. It's very interesting music, and some of the most atmospheric art to fall from the Polish scene in its tumultuous, short history. I recommend finding this if you are interested in exploring one of the region's best kept secrets.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Seeing the cover and logo of the band (with the usual, ancient Pentagram) there were few doubts of what the cd could offer, that is of course Satanik Black Metal. Although band comes from Poland there is not pagan NSBM in the disc but only Black Metal in the vein of early Darkthrone (although the polish ones aren't so inspired unluckily) and with few earliest Emperor influences. All in all, this album has a very freezing 'Norwegian' atmosphere of early '90 in some passages, I guess it is not possible to deny this. The result is not bad at all, although in some cases tracks seem too long for the songwriting. Screaming is not bad, although could be slightly improved in some passages. Intro and outro are very good. The whole result is nice, although it's not possible to describe this cd as a masterpiece. To end the review, this cd is a re-press of the demo of the band (the demo and the cd have the same name of course) with two bonus tracks, of which one is a Bathory cover, "Armageddon"). 5



BLACK CIRCLE - BEHOLD MY VISIONS AND WISDOM
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

Another project of the mind behind Svart Strijd, and also here he plays all instruments and do vocals as well. Music is rather different from Svart Strijd, being middle tempo Black Metal in the vein of early releases of Judas Iscariot (also screaming is rather similar I think). There is also a really interesting atmosphere of depression and loneliness in the songwriting that is really difficult to find in one tape. I think this tape is better than mostly of cd's released today, I am amazed that this has not been still released in cd format but I really hope that the debut on cd or lp will arrive soon. In the meanwhile you have to get this tape, with seven tracks of excellent Black Metal (unfortunately there are not lyrics included). This is a really excellent release, there is no doubt about it and I am really waiting since from now something new played by Strijd. 9 ½



LUTOMYSL - I'MQUINTESS/CENCE
Review taken from Metalreview

With the once (astonishingly) prolific Polish scene having slowed of late, the NSBM audience has over the past few years diverted its attention to the burgeoning scenes on Greek, Finnish, French and, humorously, American shores, the racial elitism and paganistic atavism of NSBM snowballing into an increasingly legitimate cultural phenomenon boasting a growing membership worldwide. Of all the scenes that populate the NSBM landscape currently, however, perhaps none is as widely acclaimed as that of Ukraine. Much of this has to do with the innate musicality of acts such as Nokturnal Mortum, Drudkh, Munruthel and Hate Forest, who offer far more challenging material than much of the ideology intensive, musically skimpy tripe that litters the NSBM terrain. Having straddled a wave of hype over the past two years, this Lutomysl record arrived in my hands amidst a flurry of glowing reviews, with many acclaiming it as another jewel in the Ukrainian black metal crown.

Now, I’ve never been one to trust the word of the frenzied NSBM underground, a scene which boasts as its primary fanbase a host of blithering incoherent nitwits, but this is actually pretty engaging stuff. The agenda here is largely frigid, blasting, uniformly cold black metal, frostbitten and harsh but with an acute inclination for subtle melody and atmospherics. Aesthetically, there is a rather prominent artistic kinship with some of the rawer, less synth-heavy Lucifugum material and Purity-era Hate Forest, though Lutomysl frankly are somewhat less interesting than either of those outfits in their present incarnation.

Instead, this is uniformly trebly, uptempo, straightforward material that offers little dynamic variation, yet somehow manages to sound genuine and tortured enough to provide for an involving listen. There are some fucking CHOICE passages here- the slower, introspective section 2 minutes into “R (Cocpegotozue)” is great, as is the somber melody that introduces a cataclysmic blasting passage 2 minutes into “Ty (Ockkonlutue)” and the melody that closes said track. While blasts do dominate the record, there is a genuinely hypnotic quality to many of the droning melodies and drum patterns here. When things do begin to veer towards monotony, the band always manage to insert a melody rousing enough to completely intersect the droning tedium, infusing the typically epic (5 to 9 minutes) structures with enough variety to steer clear from boredom.

The production here is rather dissimilar to much similarly-acclaimed underground metal in the sense that it is far clearer and more well-defined than the basement variety of black metal, but the trebly, high register feel and gratingly harsh guitar sound suggest that Lutomysl drink from the same aesthetic well. While the bass, as with much black metal, is woefully absent in the mix (is it even employed on this recording?), the production on offer here should please many of black metal’s most vocal naysayers, the kick drums sounding propulsive yet organic, riffs are easily discernible from one another instead of being reverb-drenched, overly distorted walls of nonsense that coagulate into a nebulous mass of noise. Clearly, Lutomysl are of a more literate ilk, something that is reflected further in the understated elegance of several passages on the record- keyboards are used VERY effectively here, surfacing to provide a spectrally faint counterpart to the relentless blast/tremolo sections, residing deep within the mix to add understated dimension to the proceedings instead of venturing into Nokturnal Mortum silliness.

Admittedly, many may find the contents of this record to be somewhat redundant, and to some degree such assertions may indeed be justified. The linear and largely unadventurous material here is not an artistic revelation in a field already inundated with similarly ‘’raw’’ black metal outfits. However, the ornate flourishes that decorate each and every track here glow with a sophistication that eludes much of today’s black metal underground. A little typical, to be sure, but undoubtedly a well-written and convincingly despondent release. If you enjoy the harsher end of the Russian metal spectrum (ie not folky wankery like Temnozor, Astrofaes and Nokturnal Mortum), this has your name all over it.


Review taken from BlackMetalOnline

Ukraine, a land so far known mostly for the nauseating Nokturnal Mortum and their little brotthers Lucifugum, after the split up of the impressive Hate Forest needed someone who could succeed them; luckily the omnipresent Total Holocaust Records already spreaded its venomous tentacles over that bare land to suck the innermost essence of black metal and reveal to our eyes a new worthy reality. This attempt resulted in Lutomysl, a one mand band whose birth goes back to 2001, but some few years before was already active under the monicker Profane Solitude, and released in 2002 its debut tape under Ancient Nation before coming to THR. Under its banner there were released, on tape, the second album "I(')MQUI(nt)ESs/cENCE" in 1111 copies and now, after a few months, comes the CD version (1000 copies) with a new layout.

As a first impression Lutomysl could be compared really to Hate Forest, those brighter ones of the last 7" "Resistance". Actually this comparison gives just a minimal idea of Lutomomysl music. Like the beauty cover, ruined by what was supposed to be a "silver enhancement", suggests by theme and colours, music is strongly marked by an autumnal vein, in a constant equilibrium between melancholy and coldness where none of them overcomes the other but rather they pursue and entwine each others. Pleasant and unexpected is the wise use of keyboards, constantly subordinate to guitars and outstanding only in some particular passages, which slightly pervade the music in order to create a background enviroment in which the actual music develops, and emphasizes the warm autumnal tones and the crepuscolar atmospheres that frame the music. All the compositions follow these rules and despite the considerable length (7-8 minutes with only one exception of 5) they're not boring at all, non even at the first listening, thanks to the aforementioned keyboards and a constant developement of the tracks which aren't bounded to the usual verse-chorus-verse but instead develop in the right measure to keep the attention alive, and show they're alive themselves. A short mention to the vocals, not so immediate to understand but surely strong and commensurate. It's obviously not easy to describe but the sensantions are the ones of a bestial voice, lycanthropic to use a hyperbole, very breathless and howling. Another detail which makes the work solid and coherent to its musical choice.

Ultimately, a convincing album, personally I have and I'm now eagerly listening to it and in my opinion it's one of the best of year 2004, long lived, full of shadings, that enriches itself listening by listening. An album not for all, as usual, but for many as it can please a more wide crowd. Sure it uses a drum machine and even if well programmed it takes something from the music, but in front of 52 minutes of emotions one can, and must, close an eye.
95/100


Review taken from Franang

This Ukrainian band is a rather good discovery when it comes to misanthropic Black Metal. The 50 minutes of this CD are nothing but pure hate and hanger toward Christianity, the riffs are straight in the head but also typical cold Black Metal. I mean each tunes reflect the Eastern cold feeling melting aggressiveness and despair. The drum parts are pretty efficient and increase the destructive touch of the release, even though I think it's done by a drum machine, but it's pretty well programmed. The vocals are between growling and screaming, rather "dry" by they gives a kind of "non human" touch. That's a worth release from Ukraine.


Review extract taken from Final War Magazine

" An atmospheric album with partly great moments. Definitively worth checking, but unfortunatly ruined by vocals."



VARGLEIDE - WHEN ONLY ASHES AND...
Review taken from BlackMetalOnline

From Russia comes the new emanation of Blazebirth Hall, another creature of Kaldrad, already mastermind of Barnikald, Raven Dark, Nitberg and the more famous Forest. The maker of this release is again Total Holocaust Records, but although the CD was released this year, as often happens with Russian releases in general, and with Kaldrad's projects in particular, this isn't new stuff but a reissue of the same tape released in 2000 by Stellar Winter. Actually Vargleide should be the new monicker of Forest, but we'll rather think to it as a new band, in fact the music has almost nothing to share with Forest, these more epic and contemplative where instead Vargleide has its keystone in martiality. Main inspiration is manifest: Transilvanian Hunger; this album isn't a mere photocopy though, as Kaldrad, beginning from the solid Darkthrone basis, created his own trademark, giving the music an evident characterization concerning rhythmic section and vocals. The album opens roughly with "To Fornicate the Vacuum of Breath" that take us right away in the middle of a battle, a battle of ancient times of course, a battle whose echoing sound is that one cold and metallic of swords, shields, armours, idealized and made tangible by the efficient work done on cymbals, which enter the musical scene unexpectedly, sometimes giving the impression to not follow a scheme. The apparent fortuity of those entrances, in opposition to the static and martial bass drum, opens wide the songs to a strange fluidity, though keeping a constant rigour and mood given by the feeble, soffused guitar sound. Coming now to vocals, these are a constant in Kaldrad's projects: it's not the usual black metal screaming, rather we face a dry harsh voice, which melts perfectly with the music, accurately articulating the words at the bass drum rhythm, ideal narration of the battle remembered before. As it's easy to guess, vivacity is banned from this album, so there are not those great variations between the 6 tracks of "When only ashes and scorched earth are left behind"; only soft shades which distinguish the more "epic" "With the mead of the pain" and the conclusive "Spare not thy sharpest blades", moving on slow tempos and remembering a bit of Gorogoroth's "Sorg", from the other 4 raw, sombre, incessant tracks. This album is a good proof that in 2000 it is possible play raw black metal without innovation but not even falling in the already-heard, and most of all that it is possible to enrich the music and create mental images, and voyages, without using samples and shit.

Rewieved by Warcult

Scored 93 out of 100


Review taken from Franang

Vargleide are part of the Pagan Front, so guess what they play ? Indeed, the 6 tracks are about Black Metal with Oi/NS musical touch. Actually this band is the remains of Forest. The musical part are a kind of Darkthronish Metal, melted with the Eastern feeling. The tempos are done by a drum machine, almost full speed, which is a bit a shame. When it comes to vocals, they're very Black/Oi like, pretty low and screaming and here and there reminds me some stuffs such as Sturm and so on. The 6 tracks are written in a descend way (i.e : "The String Of The Spirit"), despite the fact that all songs sound a bit alike. There're some troubles in the mix here and there (which doon't desecrate the whole album !) as the sound comes and goes, but excepted for that the production is ok.

*On a sidenote, there is not drum-machine in the music of Vargleide, which the reviewer above appears to think it is...



XASTHUR - SUICIDE IN DARK SERENITY
Review taken from Panzerfaust Zine.

I interviewed XASTHUR for PANZERFAUST #2 few years ago, after I heard ?Nocturnal Poisoning? album. It was truly misanthropic and cold piece of black metal and here it continues on ?Suicide In Dark Trinity?. I really like that kind of suicidal, slow, grim and freezing sound. It may seem boring to some of you, since it?s slow all the time, tempo doesn?t change even for the moment, so the atmosphere could be very sleepy to some listeners. But it really fits perfectly to the message behind XASTHUR, it?s sinister and gloomy, painful, freezes blood in the veins and here ?death calls your name??! Basically ?Suicide In Dark Trinity? didn?t change anything I know from ?Nocturnal Poisoning? album; songs are rather similar, sound as well? Malefic creates the specific mood basing all songs on melancholic riffs (which are quite melodic in its own way) and keyboards, which complete the very dark atmosphere. Vocals are screaming the lungs off, distorted in the style of BURZUM? These all elements ma ke the music very unique, even if you could compare it to (old) MANES for example. Well, definitely I have to say this music is not about entertaining people, you can?t listen to it while doing some unimportant things, like cleaning your room or reading the book. You have to sit in the chair or lay on the bed (pseudo vampires in the coffin he, he) and listen to it carefully, deep into the atmosphere, feel it, descend and choose the suicidal tool. Definitely I can say XASTHUR is one of the most intriguing black metal acts nowadays, surely the best one hailing from USA, so support it!


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

I think I have really to praise THR to have decided to release in cd format the mlp of Xasthur (released by Bestial Onslaught Records some time ago and now sold-out since time) with one bonus track, a 17 minutes long rehearsal track from the Nocturnal Poisoning session. The all has been of course remixed and re-mastered. I can tell that it's an excellent work of depressive Black Metal (of course, as rest of Xasthur's discography with a Burzum feeling although for sure Malefic has developed an own style), that isn't going to disappoint you in any way. The music is powerful and abyssal while compositions are really able to get your attention from the beginning to the end. It's also interesting to point out how Malefic (the mind behind Xasthur), with his usual style and repetitive riffs is always able to create interesting and original musical structures where the mind can 'float' and sees new unknown dimensions of sadness and death. The Empire of Death maybe? In any case the (suicidal) atmosphere of this album is really remarkable. If you are into depression and you wish something near to your mood try to listen this. As all releases of Xasthur, also this is highly advisable. You can't really effort to miss this. 10


Review taken from Panzerfaust Zine (POL).

I interviewed XASTHUR for PANZERFAUST #2 few years ago, after I heard “Nocturnal Poisoning” album. It was truly misanthropic and cold piece of black metal and here it continues on “Suicide In Dark Trinity”. I really like that kind of suicidal, slow, grim and freezing sound. It may seem boring to some of you, since it’s slow all the time, tempo doesn’t change even for the moment, so the atmosphere could be very sleepy to some listeners. But it really fits perfectly to the message behind XASTHUR, it’s sinister and gloomy, painful, freezes blood in the veins and here “death calls your name…”! Basically “Suicide In Dark Trinity” didn’t change anything I know from “Nocturnal Poisoning” album; songs are rather similar, sound as well… Malefic creates the specific mood basing all songs on melancholic riffs (which are quite melodic in its own way) and keyboards, which complete the very dark atmosphere. Vocals are screaming the lungs off, distorted in the style of BURZUM… These all elements make the music very unique, even if you could compare it to (old) MANES for example. Well, definitely I have to say this music is not about entertaining people, you can’t listen to it while doing some unimportant things, like cleaning your room or reading the book. You have to sit in the chair or lay on the bed (pseudo vampires in the coffin he, he) and listen to it carefully, deep into the atmosphere, feel it, descend and choose the suicidal tool. Definitely I can say XASTHUR is one of the most intriguing black metal acts nowadays, surely the best one hailing from USA, so support it!

80 / 100



IMPIOUS HAVOC - MONUMENTS OF SUFFERING
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

The last mcd of the Finnish Horde is for sure better than their last effort. I can't refuse to admit that the result is for sure improved compared to the previous stuff. Style hasn't changed, fast Nordic Black Metal (Dark Funeral is the closest comparison that comes me in mind actually) but the songwriting is for sure quite better and ideas that it's possible to find in the four tracks are for sure interesting. Of course this isn't a masterpiece and isn't anything of original but it's a very good mcd that deserves to be checked out because it's something good. Cover and lyrics are also good. There isn't anything else to add except that I am really curious to see how will be the future material. 8


Review taken from Franang

After tow successful releases, "Monuments Of Suffering" had to be convincing to assert the quality of this Finish band. Through these 4 songs, Impious Havoc didn't fail in recording powerful Orthodox Black Metal. They keep in their previous vein, which means raw and straight Black Metal without any compromises. Even though their tunes are fast tempo, they never reached the shitty blast beats which is a real challenge. Thence, their 4 tunes sounds extremely strong and devastating, which a strong anti christian touch. The shrieking voice increases the uncomfortable feeling, it seems that nothing can disturb their art. Impious Havoc knows how to use the standard Black Metal ideas to turns them into very personal hymns. This MCD is limited to 500 copies.



NACHTMYSTIUM - EULOGY IV
Review taken from Vampire Magazine

Nachtmystium's Eulogy IV is their latest EP and of what great magnitude this one is. Colleague Geert's review of their full album Demise is clear enough when stating this is a great black metal band from the USA, but moreover Demise is and will be a classic. Mind you, that Eulogy IV has everything to become a classic as well. Azentrius chose the same ingredients as he did for Demise, but somehow the endresult got different; a rawer Nachtmystium in a way it has to be.

Eulogy IV hails the great ones of ancient black metal, but has a distinctive mood of it's own. Azentrius has a keen sense of bringing black metal the raw way, original, emotional but hatefull, tempting, in bringing you into a "nice" state of being while knowing all it really tries is bringing you down. Maybe that "nice" part can be best described as to compare it with old '70 rock; Nachtmystium has that same drive and feeling, being it a dark and desperate variant. Just listen to the songs (especially the titelsong) on Eulogy IV and you'll come across some of the greatest riffs and leads in black metal as we know today. Then it hits you, this is black metal, it isn't supposed to be "nice" and that's the scary part. Eulogy IV isn't "nice" at all when you give it a quick thought, but there isn't time to think while listening to it. Time is consumed by making you believe you're wrapped in a warm cloth, only to find out an iron nail has been driven into your heart.

Hail Nachtmystium for pulling this off, you will not come across a band with such conviction and illusion that often.

The vinyl version comes with three bonus songs: two Ildjarn covers and the well-known Von song "Satanic Blood". Another one on my yearlist and the second one by Nachmystium.


Review stolen from The Metal Archives

Azentrius of Nachtmystium refuses to become complacent or stagnant. With every release he seems to redefine what we know as Nachtmysitum. And this redefinition always comes in the form of forward progress. We can here him grow and evolve with every release. With “Eulogy IV”, that forward progress is represented by a new-found melodic presence. A melodic presence that was also evident on “Demise,” but on “Eulogy IV” it takes the front seat in the form of epic and innovative guitar solos. At first it seems a bit odd to have melodic guitar solos in grim black metal, but once you settle into the music, you realize that he has just opened a door that you never realized was even there. The solos always have purpose and you are never left with the feeling that he is just “wanking off” as so many other bands do. They are important components of the songs, and ad a majestic mood to the recording. The first track “My Vengeance,” has to be one of the most memorable songs in contemporary black metal. I think most black metal fans will be instantly captivated within the first 30 seconds of this track. Very uptempo, yet not blasting. Towards the end of the song you are hit with one of the most bizarre (in a good way) guitar solos you will ever hear in black metal. This track is a great opener for this monumental black metal release. My only overall “complaint,” is that this release is not longer. This is one of those recordings that leaves you thirsty for more. Most people will wind up listening to this 5 times the first day they get it. The bonus tracks on the vinyl are good, but thats how I see them, as “bonus” tracks. They are great renditions of songs by Ildjarn and Von, but the mood is different from the originals. I’m not complaining, but if I had the choice between those 3 covers or 3 more originals, I would have picked originals. All in all, this is a phenomenal release that only further secures Nachtmystium’s legacy in the US black metal scene.
96 / 100


Review taken from Franang

Directly influenced from bands like Judas Iscariot, Burzum, Moonblood and Darkthrone Nachtmystium is slowly creating its own sound and trademark. So the very first tune "My Vengeance" is a strong rock and B.M tunes with an uptempo rather captivating which sums up all the B.M ideology. I'd point that this tune sounds a lot like Urn "I'm Your nightmare" song. Then the 3 following tracks are much more into the classic mid tempo, yet melodic Black Metal you can find through Judas Iscariot. But Nachtmystium comes with some original ideas such as the lead guitar soli at the beginning of "Eulogy IV". The materials conveys a real depressing mood without sounding like common "suicidal B.M". The vocals and the drums help a lot to create this mood, especially the low and dark growling vocals and the use of constant cymbals. The last title upset me a bit as it's a kind of psychedelic one (not in the baba cool meaning !!) through the repetitive guitar riff. This is really


Review extract taken from Final War Magazine

"'Eulogy IV' is very interesting and offers high quality Black Metal beyond the average. NACHTMYSTIUM-Fans will be satisfied and surely also learn to appreciate their more "adult" face... Meanwhile I listen to this MCD very often and I'm really enthusiastic about it."



XASTHUR - TO VIOLATE THE OBLIVIOUS
Review taken from Vampire Magazine

Again a new release by Xasthur's Malefic. This one is called "To violate the Oblivious" and is released through Total Holocaust Records. All songs have been crafted during this year except for one. A remake of the song "A Gate Through Bloodstained Mirrors". In my last review I wondered wether Malefic would choose for progression or stick to the same. As "Telepathic with the Deceased" wasn't that different from "The Funeral of Being" other than the production and a slight difference compositionwise. I guess it's a bit of both with "To Violate the Oblivious". While it's very obvious I'm listening to Xasthur, the production is very good this time comparing it to previous releases. No actual blurring or vaguely recognizable instruments here. Yes, it's Xasthur alright, cause the main guitars still sounds distorted as always, but it has a more clear sound. The nicely done synths and other guitarparts are more audible and thus present, making the compositions more "epic". Vocals changed a bit as well, as they are more upfront and not as shrieky, but lower then before. Also, Malefic drumcomputing has progressed and has good sound. Best example for all this progression are the songs "Xasthur Within" and "Dreams Blacker than Death". For Xasthur I guess this release is kind of a landmark. While progressed productionwise through clearer sound and progressed compositionwise through adding more epic and "melancholic" elements, Malefic reached "maturity" in his crafting. "To Violate the Oblivious" makes more sense, it's more of a whole, even more dangerous as it has reached a level of "beauty".

But don't be fooled, in essence Xasthur didn't change one bit as Malefic still makes you feel miserable and empty. "To Violate the Oblivious" is only a "nicer" way to be pushed over the edge into his evergrowing grasping darkness.

Don't be surprised as the next one will be more harsh than ever, Malefic has more tricks on his sleeve I guess.


Review taken from Panzerfaust Zine.

??The venom is hidden and the venom wears a mask (I serve myself upon the ways of pains affliction, unto thee). Disconnect from my state of being (and without a trace) it was my soul that murdered yours?? Another highly recommended TOTAL HOLOCAUST release, another XASTHUR brilliant work of death and misery. At the moment I write this, it?s the last Malefic recording (by the time you read this, it may change, since this guy is very creative and records next songs very often). And definitely it?s the best sounding album of this American black metal band. Also some of the songs in here are just the best from all of works done by XASTHUR? So, it?s great thing to see that Malefic develops his creativity and composing skills, even if he keeps the style of his own the same; pure, sad, depressive, misanthropic and grim. There?s no other way to listen to this work, than just to sit in the dark chamber of yours, light the candle and then find the way to self destruction? Some of you may not survive it! No sense it writing more? ??Use them, abuse them, bleed them dry, to leave them fiending (weakened and manipulated). In a lust for sin and a devourment for the living, our dreams connected (and wishes crossed paths). For she is inside of me, and I in her. Death comes by sleep, be the shadow to tint the corpses (in which we walk)??


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate.

The new full-length cd of Xasthur has been released on THR and still offers the usual great compositions. This time I think they are more depressive and melancholic than the others but I really like them. I can't refuse to admit that I really worship the whole discography of Xasthur and I have to add that the releases by Malefic have never disappointed me so far. It's interesting to note how after some minutes of listening, the atmosphere gets your attention more and more as a maelstrom that opens itself in your mind as time passes by. I have to praise the graphical aspect of the cover that is for sure something of original and brilliant. All in all there wouldn't be too much to add except that the 2004 has been the year in which Xasthur produced more albums and I liked all of them. Of course someone can also say to don't like Xasthur releases too much because the style is pretty similar among them but I should have to say that each release, at least according me, has something 'special' that isn't possible to describe. Just listen. Last but not least you have to get this if you haven't this still or also only to complete collection in case you have all rest of Xasthur discography. 10


Review taken from Franang

I was complaining about the large number of albums Xasthur's produced in the review above, and the new album is out yet. According to me Malefic is going too far and too fast. Indeed, even though the tunes from this release are far to be bad, as they convey the right mood of depression, sadness and sorrow. According to me now the songs sound all alike and Xasthur is running out of ideas, using on and on the same kind of riffs and feeling. This band is suffering from the same syndrome than Graveland, releasing too much albums in a while. So, if you've never experienced Xasthur this release is ok, but you've all the previous CD it's not a primary album to buy.



AKIHMA - APUD EXCESSUM
Review taken from BlackMetalOnline

The Evil. Man has been questioning for centuries about it, its origins and its manifestations, but so far all the studies never brought to any certain conclusion. Well, maybe the solution is found in Skänninge, a small town of 3500 inhabitants placed in the south os Sweden, and one of most ancient, that saw his ill fated birth in XI century. Here Akihma took form, an indefinite entity, a big catalyst of nagativeness; each fatal thought, each malevolent action, each negative feeling, all are inexorably absorbed by Akihma and contribute to its growth. Akihma is the summa of all our atavistic fears, Akihma is The Evil. It possessed the mortal body of Black Lord Akihma and he is the medium through which it manifests itself. "Apud Excessum" is its last manifestation, the XXI century's Necronomicon, on whose tape are printed unimaginable horrors and whose playing evokes them in front of our eyes. Tape is severed into two rituals: "Ritual I. Incendium, Carnificina, Obitus." and its first manifestation, dated back to the year MMIII, "Ritual II. Ater Letum". Once got the courage to play the tape, a black blob will begin straining down the walls, a thick circle of darkness will enfold you and the sad candles which lights the cover won't be of any help as a cold wind breath coming from the afterlife, lead by Black Lord Akihma's hopeless screams will blow it out right away. There are only you and Akihma, dived in the dark void. Hope is soon overcame, succumbs under the morbid notes of what sounds like a organ, anguish and desperation are palpabile, as a mist which enwraps your body and slowly rises, grasping, note after note, ritual after ritual, till suffocating you. Panic will possess you, you'll feel like your brain is about to burst, dreadfully penetrated by the twisted and piercing hisses which find their way through the dark, until reach their prey, sharp blades which torture you slowly, still keeping you alive as the journey of your damnation is still long. Long because Akihma expands the time, minutes seem hours, at every pause you believe it's finally over, but it ain't.Once completed the first ritual you must face the inhuman torture of "Ater Letum", the second ritual. If the first endless 17 minutes did disturb you, the next 13 minutes will mark your end. Mist is already at your neck, you're more breathless, try vainly to wag, paralized by horrrific visions of hideous arachnoids which infest what once was your room, mind saturated by the yells coming from B.L.Akihma's mouth that are here thicker and thicker, as to form a large web. They are the souls of the dead who speak, the souls of innocent victims of undescribable torments who tell of their miserable lives and their terrifying tortures; and their images are impressed forever on your retina. The end has come, but the feeling of suffocation and the terror in your eyes are still there and will last for hours. This "album" isn't simply dark ambient, such a mild definition can't describe it properly. No other album will make you sick as it does. Listening to it is like drowing in a lake of pitch, like being walled alive, is to see your fears materialized. Here one can see only Black, one can breathe only Death, one can perceive only Evil. "Apud Excessum" is an unique experience that you won't be that kin to repeat so easily. An experience that in our world lasts 30 minutes, but in Akihma's world, in which you'll be swallowed, lasts for aeons. If all this is good or bad I cannot tell. those who have enough courage might get one of the 233 copies and try on their own skin Akihma.
/Warcult



BEATRIK - JOURNEY THROUGH THE END OF LIFE
Review taken from Metalreview

This is just bloody brilliant. With so many modern bands anxious to out-Varg each other in a post-Burzum epoch, the thought of another Vikernes-influenced outfit is hardly a titillating proposition. As such, the accolades surrounding this Italian trio’s debut LP made me more apprehensive than anxious to hear this record, considering the bulk of them suggested a deep-seeded connection with Burzum’s first four records. To be earnest, the world needs another Det Som Engang Var-inclined outfit like we need a Culture Club reunion. Yet, somehow Beatrik defy any and all expectations, reinterpreting a well-flogged sound with a vigorous inventiveness, synthesizing all the hallmarks of a classic sonic blueprint with distinctively individual flourishes, ultimately forging something that is many times more refined than the legions of hackneyed mimics aimlessly ploughing the same fields.

One thing that always strikes me about Total Holocaust releases is that their artists are really quite blatant about their influences (Hell Militia/De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Enthroning Silence/Abyssic Hate, Black Circle/Transylvanian Hunger & Thy Dying Light, Thralldom/Blaze In The Northern Sky) yet somehow they cleverly manage to avoid sounding superficial or faceless like Katharsis and Satanic Warmaster. Somehow, there is a very commendable, very believable honesty to much of Total Holocaust’s roster that renders their vehement orthodoxy much less reprehensible. In the case of Thralldom and Beatrik, they not only absorb their influences, they project them in heretofore unseen ways, ‘’reinventing the wheel’’, so to speak.

As such, Journey Through The End Of Life presents (thank Beelzebub) perhaps the freshest take on Burzumite introspection that this reviewer has heard since, say, Nargaroth. To Beatrik’s advantage, the music on this record is far more active and more dynamic than anything Kanwulf has inked his name on, which would greatly please those who find listening to Nargaroth an unsavory chore. There is so much cool stuff going on here While Burzum drone is the focal center and fundamental premise of Beatrik’s sound, shades of early Mayhem and embryonic Katatonia also froth to the surface at times, suggesting that Beatrik share an artistic kinship with countrymen Forgotten Tomb, wielding a far more melodically literate and fluent style than many of their overrated contemporaries.

This enchanting sense of melody manifests itself in elegant lead guitar lines that dance atop droning, mournful, primordial rhythm guitars, providing a beauteous counterpart to the repetitious chords that bubble ominously beneath them. Some of these melodies are absolute fucking MAGIC- the opening of “Buried Among Skeletal Woods” is BRILLIANT, a weeping lead guitar moaning above sustained, heavily distorted chords, the sub-Enslaved passage that surface a minute and a half through “To Feel The End Near” is majestic and ethereal, the lone guitar passage that opens and closes “The Charon’s Embrace” is haunting and affecting, particularly when it makes a welcome reprise at the conclusion of the track. Don’t expect Xasthur doom and gloom here, either, there is PLENTY of dynamic, progressive songwriting, Beatrik moving through frosty Nordic blast sections into warmer, intimately expressed slow passages with effortless grace. Just when I attempt to poke holes in this record’s armor (the blasty intro to “To Feel The End Near” almost has a whiff or Norsecore), Beatrik switch gears and/or add subtle brilliant flourishes to the proceedings, absolutely negating any complaints I might lodge.

One of the most extraordinary things about this record is it doesn’t aspire to be cold or grim, instead there is an organic, soulful warmth at its depressive core. Instead of adopting the rawer-than-thou angle, Beatrik allows the listener great proximity to the band’s anguish and loss. The guitar tone isn’t grating or raw, the mix forsakes grit and harshness for an invitingly moody feel. Disappointingly, the lyrics are rather juvenile and rudimentary, but this is a meager complaint when the music itself bleeds with such profoundly intimate agony. This is a welcoming listen that becomes more familiar, more entrancing with every spin, one that you will find solace in more often than you might expect. Hell, I’ve listened to this about 12 times in the past three days. The finest Total Holocaust release to date? I would certainly say so, and would even assert that it is among the finest black metal records I have heard in some months. I just ordered their new record on Avantgarde, if it outdoes this one I will be most pleased!


Review taken from The Metal Archives

Imagine a bleak and foggy landscape revealing at your eyes, the air is musty, in the distance a funeral procession is moving on: they’re coming for you. Now, listen to this album and your mind will much probably see that same landscape and the solitude, the anguish, the fear will possess your soul, the taste of death will permeate your senses. This album is none the less what the title says: a Journey Through the End of Life, possibly your life. One of the very few opuses that can catch that faded, insane feeling of Burzum’s debut album, the masterpiece of Beatrik is truly a monument of Depression and Death, 10 years after the spell cast by Burzum and emerging from the “depressive black metal” trend this monolith stands forever to remind the futility of your miserable life. Musically it is minimal, yet it shows a deep research in the composition of riffs, a slow funeral march made of feeble guitars lost in the void whose sharpness tears out your flesh, horrifying screams of sorrow soaring over the macabre veil of guitars and the slow, anguishing drumming that sometimes unleashes all its fury into a furious blastbeat..

The opening track starts right away with slow paced tempo and its beautiful guitar work; some after a short arpeggio introduces to the central theme of the song, ways faster but still melancholic, to return again to its almost doomish approach. To Feel the End Near proceeds almost in the same vein, unchaning all its sucidal power in only one endless minute; in this short time you’ll see no more hope, everything around you will fade under the high pitched razorblades. We’re at half our journey when we meet The Charon’s Embrace, starting slowly with the two guitars weaving a web of darkness in which the bass guitar makes its appearance, and proceeding later in mid paced tempos more hateful and aggressive. Again with Beatrik, another excellent song featuring a more elaborated guitar work, but still hold on its minimalism, broken by few furious interludes. Last Dawn is the prelude that will bring us to the epitome of this album, the titletrack: with Last Dawn we’re already far away the light, in a land that no one dares to cross. Its slowly proceeding and the chilling and desolating solo intruduce us to the End. The titletrack, this anthem to Death, is almost an instrumental song; dreadful riffs, alienating dissonances lead us towards the End, slowly, every single riff seems eternal, the vocals are also changed here, more raspy and suffered, less present but much more penetrating, they pierce your soul, they suck your residual will to life, they lead you to death!

If you’re still alive this album offers us one more song: the Burzum cover version of Spell of Destruction; this track needs no comment as Beatrik kept their cover strictly faithful to the orginal and seen the premises there couldn’t be otherwise.

What to say? This masterpiece wipes away most of nowadays “depressive black metal” productions, it truly smells of Death, it’s your ultimate journey. If you’re gonna die, if you want to feel bad, to experience the deepest secrets of your soul, the Fear, the Solitude, buy this opus!


Review taken from Franang

This edition is a re release of CD without the "Spell Of Destruction" Burzum cover. Beatrix is about loneliness and depression through the 6 tracks which are established on bleak and deep misery. When it comes the result, the vocal is pretty average as it lacks of power and mood. It seems the singers has some trouble to get this kind of vocals. The musical side is also rather standard if you're into B.M for more than a year. Indeed, even though some riffs are ok, there's no memorable song and all more or less sound like déjà vu. So, there's nothing thrilling here and nothing bad.


Review extract taken from Final War Magazine

" With BURZUMish Depressive Black Metal BEATRIK surely didn't choose a sub-genre they stand alone with, but are also surely not its worst executor..."



STRIBORG - MYSTERIOUS SEMBLANCE
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

A new tape from Striborg. This is still in the vein of "Spiritual Catharsis" and this means that, although still very raw, the tape offers a gloomy atmospheric and more instrumental songwriting (vocals are more rare, and in any case always in the background) than earlier releases. There is not too much to add to say the truth. It's an excellent tape with a really bloody-freezing, hypnotizing atmosphere that I listened with great pleasure. Especially during the night, the feelings that this tape is able to give is really something special. For sure it is not something for which interest can fade away easily. All the six (long) tracks are excellent, and in it the screaming is really abyssal. This is really raw stuff, and 'true' underground middle tempo Black Metal so don't misunderstand what I mean for atmospheric. If you look for polished and clean-sounding music this is for sure the wrong tape. Pro-coloured cover and booklet. 9


Review taken from Franang

Striborg offers a captivating version of atmospheric Black Metal. The 6 tracks from this demo combine raw B.M through minimalist and repetitive riffs with eerie surroundings through waving keys. The B.M side here and there reminds Burzum's "Filosofem" mixed with Von's song structures. The vocals are extremely high pitched and create an haunting and loneliness feeling. The constant funeral synth at the back ground is a kind of morbid veil floating over you. Thanks to songs that length some minutes, Striborg can really imposes its own world and vision of cursing songs. The result is really convincing and original as it perfectly melts atmospheric and B.M elements.



STALAGGH - PROJEKT TERRROR
Review taken from Terrorizer

Fucking hell...If Stalaggh's first album 'Projekt Nihil', was akin to an insane and horrific collision between the torture of Abruptum and the noise of early Skullflower, this is much, much worse. That's 'worse' in the good sense, mind.

For the uninitiated, Stalaggh consists of persons who suffer from real mental illness who transform their pain into sound. For '...Terrror', Stalaggh have moved the sound of the band up to the point where listening to the single, half-hour track is almost as difficult an experience as it undoubtly was to make.

They've forsaken the roar for a swathe of power electronics that sound as though they've fallen off a vintage Sutcliffe Jugend tape coupled with atmospherics and topped anguished screams and cries.

The obvious reference point to this audio nightmare is undoubtedly Abruptum, but somehow the strains of Stalaggh feel so much more intense, disparaging and downright tortured than the more infamous Swedish duo.

[7] Guy Strachan


Review taken from Melita.

A few weeks back I contacted Stalaggh for an interview with this same webzine; and they mentioned that a new 'Projekt' was taking form and should be recorded soon. And finally here it is; 'Projekt Terrror' (wrong spelling intentional, as Jeroen from New Era Productions has kindly pointed out). This new project is in many ways a progression from the previous release, 'Projekt Nihil', perhaps most noticeable this time round is the darker, more industrial vibe emanating from the process. However, 'PT' is not at all a new direction for Stalaggh- the noisy analog static is still there; and the insane scratching and throat-shredding too (even if multiplied hundredfold)- three vocalists (including a female) express improvisatory sounds of lunacy as the other instruments (with no less than two drum kits) fill and adorn the half-hour session. Dissonant frequencies collide amongst irrationally distorted vocals, sometimes guitar chords ar e actually heard clearly, and rarely one also hears definite electronic semi-melodies underneath the colossal quantities of feedback. On the whole, though, 'PT' is an unlistenable (in a Merzbow-like sense) half-hour expression of the most hideous feelings lying in the subconscious. Of course, the notion of music is basically insignificant here, though the process does sometimes take on a definite form- sometimes with just a barely rhythmic percussive patter, sometimes resembling some black metal band from the recesses of the underground rehearsing their guts out. Stalaggh are to music what Duchamp was to sculpture, and anti-establishment or destabilizing forms of expression are never a bad thing in such a disgustingly egalitarian society such as ours. Stalaggh, like Wagner, Darkthrone, Kraftwerk, and countless other great composers, make it clear that art and ideology are intrinsically inseparable. 10/10


Review taken from Trendkill Magzine (USA).

It has been unleashed after a long wait the second full length soundtrack to suffering and despair from Stalaggh. The material on this cd is real recorded torment, suffering, hysteria, despair and plain madness. I liked the first cd a lot but I must say this one is much more coherent (if thats possible) the ambient sounds behind the screaming madness succeed in connecting all the tortured screams into a solid long trip down the path of madness. The nauseating atmosphere and soundscapes somethimes remind me of the music score of sick gory horror movies, only this soundtrack is the real thing, featuring real tortured souls and their lament and real suffering. This my friends is the essence of suffering, pain, despair and hatred captured on cd. Lose yourself in the madness! Play it in the dark of night and find out that the screams you hear aren’t the ones on the cd but the ones your starting to produce yourself.........when y ou have lost your mind! Get this soundtrack to your nightmares now.


Review taken from Multum In Parvo

'Projekt Terror' comes away from the first CD of this project. It's much more chaotic, there's much more noise, distorted instruments and, what's the most painful thing, sick vocals. Going through those 34 minutes is a phisically hurting exeperience and it proves the words you can read in the interview. 'Projekt Terror' is a painful record, deadly hard to explore and iverview with simple human mind. But if suffering is your everydays bread, new :Stalaggh's: album will joy your CD trays as long as 'Projekt Nihil' did. Personally, I think that it's harder in perception than the debut and maybe that's why I think it's a little bit weaker than the previous one. Nonetheless, :Stalaggh: is a pure disease... Disease which addicts and permenently infects listener's mind. It's worth g etting it! (9/10).


Review taken from Mother Goat Webzine

This is what I have been waiting for ever since I got Projekt Nihil and heard about a follow-up being in the making... the initial descriptions of Projekt Terror sounded like it would correct all the small complaints I had about Projekt Nihil, and then some. So, can this second full-length CD live up to it's expectations and the title? Projekt Terror begins with a static-sounding bassy noise, upon which some moaning and then some insane screams are introduced... the drums come in, and some additional effects, and the guitars. Up until about five minutes into the album it sounds rather uncoherent and flat, but then an almost coherent structure can be heard with the echoing and hollow drums beating a coherent rhythm and the out-of-tune sounding guitars playing something that actually resembles a riff. The moaning and screaming vocals still remain, as well as some effects, most notably, and most effectively, some piercing, agonizing high-pitched sounds. The chaos and cacophony continues building up, until it calms down about eleven minutes into the CD, but the high tormenting sounds remain, and the general atmosphere is very ill-foreboding. After that the album really kicks off, or so it feels to me. Up until then, there have been some good moments, but as a whole it has felt a flat for some reason. Partially, it's the vocals which don't sound as convincing as they should, especially considering that there's really a lot of them... a little less of them, and they would work better. Also, for some reason the cacophony and chaos just doesn't feel, well, so cacophonous and chaotic as I would have hoped for. However, as the chaos and cacophony starts building up after the calm phase at eleven minutes, Projekt Terror truly begins... the combination of half-coherent guitars, static noises, high-pitched tormenting beeping noises, hollow and echoing drums (and sometimes really massive, all-consuming drums), and vocals which all of the sudden start sounding a lot more convincing, is a truly oppressing one; this is what it must sound like in the head of a serial-killing madman. Whereas Projekt Nihil felt like a journey through an old, desolate mental asylum, this feels like a trip down to the secret areas of Arkham Asylum, where the madmen of Lovecraft's tales dwell... ghouls, worshippers of ancient deities, those resurrected by Herbert West... I can imagine dimly lit corridors in a locked basement, bolted, thick steel doors with tiny slits from which you can see in... rats scuttling about on the floor, water dripping down from the ceiling. The insane screams of those locked inside torment my sanity, I can hear them banging on the walls and on the doors, those who are not chained to the wall or their beds... and before I realize it, it is all inside my own head; it's not an outside world I am perceiving, it's myself that this is about, my own insanity. I may be wrong, but it feels like the sound level rises throughout Projekt Terror... from the reasonably silent beginning, it becomes a massive, all encompassing wall of sound and discomforting agony towards the end, a massive blast of Terror, building up until it slightly starts to calm down towards the end, but remaining just as oppressive, haunting and dangerous as it had been for quite a while already. And just as it feels like we are slowly settling back into what remains of our sanity, Projekt Terror stops like it would have hit a wall, like the tape would have run out in the middle. Annoying to say the least... if they'd just let it float away into silence, it would have given conclusion. As it is now, it feels like we are missing something important. Is this intentional? Can we interpret this as a promise, nay, a threat for a third full-length? So, to answer the question I asked in the beginning; does Projekt Terror live up to my expectations and it's name? In spite of the flat beginning, my answer is definitely Yes!, yes it does. Once the album really gets going, it's an exhausting experience. You just wish for it to stop, for the torment to end, but as soon as it's over, you just have to play it again. It's suffering... but, oh, addictive suffering! This is not a razor on your skin, this is a club that smashes you in the back of your head, this is a psychical iron maiden in which your soul is trapped. In spite of the disappointing beginning (an intentional deceit, perhaps?), this is excellence. Projekt Nihil was the prelude, introduction to this. I have a hard time imagining that anything Stalaggh can create after this will be anything more than an epilogue. There is no need for me to say anything more. Most of you will not understand Stalaggh, there is no point in pretending to do so. Most of you will not experience the enticing danger within, most of you will just hear the noise. But for those of you who have the privilege to see and hear beyond, to delve deeper... this is essential!
9/10


Review taken from Aardschok online

This year, it won't get more extreme than the 'music' on this release. More than half an hour you can hear a prolonged industrial soundscape with ultra insane vocals and lots of feedback. This is total madness! Their last album 'Projekt Nihil' is surpassed in extremity many times. There is now more coherence in the sound and you can even discover some rhythms. If Black Metal is no longer extreme enough for you, then this a good alternative. People considering suicide, but who don't have the guts to actually do it, this cd will give them a push in the right direction.


Review stolen from Encyclopaedia Metallum

For those unfamiliar with Stalaggh, they "play" a form of extremely violent and hard to listen to Industrial Black Noise. Their first album, Projekt Nihil, was certainly one of the most disturbing things I've ever listened to. That, however, is completely eclipsed by the sheer psychotic rage that is Projekt Terrror. Seriously, this album makes Projekt Nihil sound almost tame in comparison.

Like Nihil, Terrror starts fairly slowly, this time with a hissing static noise that increases in volume and gathers some tortured screams out of the "vocalists" before the percussion, samples, signal distortion, feedback, guitars and electronics get going. It gradually gathers in intensity over the course of the opening ten minutes before finally exploding at around the ten to fifteen minutes mark. This is when the terror really begins and lasts until the end of the album where it abruptly ends. Not really a fitting end, but I've read an interview where they promise/threaten to inflict a follow-up.

Since one of the two vocalists who appeared on Nihil killed himself soon after the recording, some new vocalists have been recruited. I believe there are now four vocalists, one of which is female and adds some contrast to the tortured screams. The screams still occur along the same lines as those on Nihil i.e. insane screaming whenever there is tension building during the volume increases and when the release of the built up tension occurs. The same moans appear at times when the music is "calmer", but they are not as frequent as on Nihil simply because the music here is much more violent. However, the vocals aren't a constant appearance and nor are they always the focus of attention, as there are sparsely placed sections where vocals do not appear or where they are lower in the mix and everything else oppresses them.

The guitars on this release hiss quite a lot and are usually low in the mix serving as a drone of sorts. There are times, such as the first explosion of sound at ten to fifteen minutes, where the guitar is higher in the mix and carries the music for a bit. But these are rare occurrences (maybe three or four in the whole album), with it usually preferring to sink into the background and let the electronics and samples dominate. The drums act much like this too, lurking in the background playing very Abruptum-like beats. However, they less prominent as there are no effects lumped on them and so they sound like an ordinary acoustic drum kit.

The samples and electronics are very similar to the white noise interrogators use when torturing subjects. The constant high pitched bleeping noises that spasmodically appear and change volume mixed with the screaming voices consequently make this album seem like the result of a torture session (I guess they would probably describe the recording process like this as well, based on the sounds they've recorded and the rumoured self-mutilation). There are some mechanical hissing noises that run through almost the entire album. However, they are only really noticed when they stop suddenly and are missed. This causes the music to seem calmer (if I can use that word), yet within a few seconds of being turned off, they are back again with a vengeance and oppress the vocalists and the listener as before, if not more so.

To conclude: pick something you view as intense, hard to listen to, violent, disturbing etc. Projekt Terrror will beat it hands down. This isn't music, this is audio violence. I challenge anyone to say that they enjoy it.



NORTT / XASTHUR - SPLIT
Review written by ANDEE OF TUMULT RECORDS (WEAKLING, DRAUGAR etc.)

We barely even have to review this. Just the names of the two artists should be enough. Nortt, whose "Pure Depressive Black Funeral Doom Metal" was a massive favorite around here, and of course Xasthur, who rivals Leviathan as perhaps the most brilliant and important of the modern USBM hordes. Nortt offer up four tracks of miserable drone dirge, with mournful piano over a swirling abyss of black riffs and simple drumming, each chord slowly dissipating into nothingness before the next chord hits. Depressingly gorgeous and wrist slittingly sorrowful. Reminiscent of Corrupted's Llenandose, albeit way more grim and dismal! Xasthur gives us three tracks, equally depressive, but here, instead of tarpit tempos and drone-like dirges, the depression and misery is communicated through creepy minor key riffing, mournful melodies and what sounds like clean chant-like singing, almost choral, but buried so low in the mix it almost sounds like just another instrument. Xasthur has totally perfected the swaying seasickly black metal waltz, with relentless double kicks, anguished vocals struggling to communicate from beyond, and warm and woozy, arpeggiated guitars. So good.



CRIMSON MOON - UNDER THE SERPENTINE SPELL
Review taken from Panzerfaust Zine.

I was truly surprised, when I noticed in the booklet that all tracks, which are featured on ?Under the Serpentine Spell? were composed between 1996-97! After a while it became obvious, that this isn?t new recording. The real fact is that US CRIMSON MOON recorded this album in 1996-97 and just recently, in October 2004, completed its production, mixes and mastering. I really have no idea what caused that long, seven year delay in releasing this album, but I guess it doesn?t matter much? All in all, I never heard of CRIMSON MOON before I got this CD and somehow I have an impression I wouldn?t hear much from them in the future. But let?s focus on the music now. When I played this album for the first time, I was surprised with the music the band plays, because definitely I didn?t expect it to sound like that. It?s because band?s photos are highly ?black metal?, with corpse paints, pentagrams and all the evil attributes of the genre. When I looked at them, I thought the music will sound l ike SETHERIAL or DARK FUNERAL, ENTHRONED or maybe JUDAS ISCARIOT? Any of those black metal styles would fit here. Meanwhile the opening, very long intro (actually this introduction is even too long) ?Cults of the Shadow? is very calm, atmospheric and definitely not ?evil sounding?. What?s stranger, rest of the album sounds the same. The keyboards are the main instruments here ? or at least the final mix made them to be in front of rest of the instruments? All tracks base on more or less monumental, symphonic parts of the keyboards, while guitars and especially drums are well hidden behind them. It all makes it almost softly sounding and only the hateful, raw vocals sure you that this CD is of the genre I mentioned earlier (more or less). I can?t say it sounds bad, but definitely not pure black metal. With every next track I was looking for the genre?s grimness, hatred and chaos, but I just couldn?t find any of them. Sorry, but definitely it was bad choice to put guitars and drums so much in the back and concentrate the keys in front, because it doesn?t sound like metal much! Where?s the aggressiveness, chaos? Anyway, even if the production and mix failed, I can say that some fragments of this album are quite good. It?s atmospheric black metal, with plenty of powerful passages, which with decent sound would probably even crush the skull of yours, but also with many rather mediocre, primitive patterns. Just listen to such tracks as ?Bloodstained Dreams of the Dragon?? Anyway, still I can?t stop thinking about this production, which makes the album sounding unfinished or messy. So, ?Under the Serpentine Spell? is for very occasional listening, nothing what would impress you much. I?m just curious how rest of CRIMSON MOON releases sound like. If there are any? I have to check their www.crimsonchamber.com website, I guess.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

This is the very first time I had the chance to listen something of the North American band so I was very curious to see what they were able to compose in the '97. Re-mixed and re-mastered nothing has been altered or added to the original as the label itself says. The result is 11 tracks of true occult Black Metal running over 70 minutes. The tracks are very long and worked in details, with many passages whose songwriting is for sure very interesting. The music is not rawest stuff, but atmospheric, and the tracks, just for this reason, must be listened carefully to be appreciated fully. The vocals are made in an interesting way, more performed from an abyssal perspective than in the usual screaming if you can understand what I mean. Some influences from "In the Nightside Eclipse" by Emperor can be clearly heard in the sixth track. An album to taste the majestic and the silence of the night, this albums is available also in 300 limited edition cd version (with black pouch, CM sticker, replica wax seal, Salvia incense, wormwood and snake sheddings). Ask to label or band what you can get because I heard that not everything can be sent in some countries and therefore not everyone can get everything of the limited edition. I should like to add how this album is not the usual 'true' Black Metal release made in the Nordic, early '90 years, but it's something more worked in details (the songwriting is for sure very more sophisticated and technical than what the underground is usually able to offer) and it's rather complex and atmospheric; the synth in particular has been used in all tracks, so you know what to do. This album is in any case fascinating for the nightly atmosphere that is able to spread and for sure the lyrics need a reading. 8 ½



BLACK CIRCLE - THE DISTANT WIND
Review taken from Metalreview

For some reason, the first association that leapt to mind when perusing the cover art and booklet of this disc was Judas Iscariot. The script and layout of the cover absolutely SCREAMS Distant In Solitary Night, like a zoomed-out bird’s eye pan of the two pilgrims on the Judas Iscariot cover galloping through the terrain of Of Great Eternity. Bizarrely, this appears to be far more than a mere coincidence, as the parallels between Black Circle and Akhenaten’s defunct brainchild go significantly beyond cosmetic appearances. The material here is impossibly harsh, vile and venomous black metal with an anguished desperation highly reminiscent of earlier Judas Iscariot (which itself was to some degree derivative of Transylvanian Hunger).

How well you receive this material will largely hinge on how much you enjoy droning, frosty and repetitious black metal that utilizes guitars not as a means to construct coherent riffs, but as a tool to erect impenetrable veils of swirling, oppressive noise. This is black metal in its most orthodox (second wave) form, placing primary emphasis on frostbitten, unearthly atmosphere instead of creating individually distinct songs and riffs. Chord progressions are highly minimalistic and rhythms are fervently repetitious, with several elaborate downtempo sections that recall the more despondent moments on Thy Dying Light and Of Great Eternity. To be fair, to the untrained ear much of the material on offer here might be interpreted as simplistic, monochromatic noise, dwelling on a range of five chords for 9 minute songs. Of course, such an assertion would be rather presumptuous- Black Circle demands an immersive and attentive listen in order to unfurl the labyrinthine, trancelike structures and to find beauty within the unforgivingly sparse soundscapes on offer.

While some may contend that Black Circle are little more than bland copyists peddling a concerted facsimile of Judas Iscariot and Darkthrone works (have a listen to the passage 4 minutes through “…And Only The Wind Wept Its Mournful Cry” and you may share such an assertion, as it appears lifted entirely from Under A Funeral Moon), the record remains a convincingly morose endeavor in vehement orthodoxy that manages, to a considerable extent, to re-open a vein once pricked by Fenriz and further drained by Andrew Harris. It will seem a little too studied for some (myself included), but for the most part The Distant Wind… exudes a naked, unpretentious spontaneity that is certainly laudable. For discerning enthusiasts of the post-Transylvanian Hunger sound, there is much that The Distant Wind… can offer you, though to those searching for something a little less blatantly referential and less dated, this is perhaps not a necessary purchase.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

First of all there is to say that this is the debut cd of Black Circle. Of course there is also a cd version of "Behold my Visions and Wisdom" but it's only the cd version of the demo-tape. Musically this is the developing and improving of all the good ideas that could be already found in the tape. The music is middle-tempo Black Metal in the vein of Judas Iscariot (the influence can be clearly felt in the black/death screaming, similar to that one used by Akhenaten), but this is not a clone so you can get this knowing to find a truly excellent songwriting with really great ideas. It's remarkable how this album has an atmosphere really interesting also without the use of ambient or keys. I have not a favourite track, I really appreciated all of them because mind really 'drowns' into music along listening of the tracks for over 40 minutes. Last but not least, I think that this is a project to support by all means and I am sure that underground will praise this cd. Really an amazing work that I feel to advice fully. 9 ½



VOCIFERIAN - TRIUMPHANT USURPER BEAST
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

The tape offers 10 tracks of death/black metal. First of all, the music is not too bad but I really don't like the death sound that tracks have. It's a matter of personal taste, so I guess someone that likes the death metal more than me will like it surely more than me. The music is enough brutal and for sure it can be described as ruthless and uncompromising but it seems me not too inspired, maybe they will be able to do quite better in next tape or debut. I can't say that I liked the music at all but for sure I support the messages written inside the cover of the tape "Obey Profanatory Forces". 4 ½



REGNUM (GER) - S/T
Review taken from Panzerfaust Zine.

Honestly it is damn hard to listen to and now to review this album. ?Regnum? definitely isn?t a CD, which could be enjoyed by many. Actually, no one will enjoy it, since it?s not about fun, but rather pure anti-fun. Anyway since I can?t speak about the lyrical part of that album (it?s German written), I?ll concentrate on music only? And music is so simplistic, minimalist and primitive that it?s hard to used to it and listen carefully. REGNUM uses totally slow tunes, doesn?t go into faster or more ?entertaining? fragments even for a second. There are just basic drum beats, some simple bass parts and slow, melancholic, depressive guitar riffs. And of course raw and very harsh vocals, screaming the word in furious Vickernes-like way. The musical background of REGNUM is very poor, for my taste it?s even too poor and primitive, because it makes whole music damn boring! This music is dead, everything in there?s rotten, empty and feeling-less. All that slowness makes the listening hard as h ell, because the atmosphere is almost sleepy. Comparing REGNUM to such bands as XASTHUR or FORGOTTEN TOMB I can say REGNUM is the most simplistic and primitive. You can say Germans sound more like ABYSSIC HATE and it?s true. Anyway, as for my taste ?Regnum? is too monotonous and repetitive? I can?t concentrate on this music fully, since it sounds like there?s the end of the world for those guys and they just don?t have any strength left to play this music? It?s soooo slooooow, nothing happens in this music? Sorry, but it?s 30 minutes long, but I feel like it was over an hour of hard primitive black metal playing. Fortunately such track as ?Abkehr? was more interesting from opening ?Ewige Wiederkehr?, which sometimes annoys with that first riff. So, REGNUM could be too hard for most of you, but still you can give it a chance. Oh, this band started as MORITURUS and has also such demos as ?Ye Now Are Sorrowful? and ?Totenweihe?, also few split recordings with bands like SVARTHAL and KAL TETOD.


Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

I think this is the debut album for this band coming from Germany because this is really the first time I hear about Regnum so far. Anyway, this release is very interesting for sure. Slow, middle tempo Black Metal from Germany in the vein of Todestoss. Wigrid and early Burzum. Music is simply, monotonous (that means slow and hypnotizing, almost mesmerizing atmosphere if you can get into it). Along all album there is a strong feeling of despair and sadness. Vocals are really very similar to those ones of Varg too. Booklet and cover are pretty interesting, the only problem is that all lyrics are in German language so I have not idea what they are about. There is not too much to tell still, except that this is one of the best band if you look for something in the vein of old Burzum, whose influence can't be denied in any way. Eight good tracks of excellent Black Metal definitely. 9



HELSEFYR - T.L.O.N.R / D.B.I.A
Review taken from Funeral Maelstrom of Hate

Another band from Sweden, and playing Black Metal in the early Nordic vein. Two demo's (both of 2004) are included in the tape and each of them offers good and well-played Black Metal. I really like screaming in the way it's done and for what concerns the music I see some serious potentialities in the songwriting. I think that this band will be able to make even better in a future debut because the tapes are very good. Music can be described as something between rather fast Black Metal made in the way it deserves. Music has a certain kind of violence and aggressiveness able to give to the all an mesmerizing atmosphere after a while. Also two covers can be found in the tape, one of Mayhem and the other of Bathory. Unfortunately there are not lyrics inside so I can't tell anything about them. But this tape is very good for sure, I feel I can advice it fully. Good work. 8 ½



EMIT - A SWORD OF DEATH FOR THE PRINCE
Review taken from BW&BK

Known for releasing a series of cassettes, the disturbing entity known as Emit, and its sole proprietor Unknown I, have officially released “their” debut album. Comparisons with cult Swedish act Abruptum have run amok when trying to describe this audial nightmare as A Sword… presents a noiser, more explicit, extreme, and penetrating Emit. Sometimes it can be quite unbearable (like power electronics/blacknoise), but that’s the whole charm behind such an excruciating act. Suffer…

Chris Bruni [7.5]


Review taken from ANUS.COM

The microgenre of blacknoise is what happens when one fuses the abrasive Beherit-style cacophonious assault of minimal black metal and the droning sonic collages of acts like Mz. 412 or Claustrum. Where this CD is excellent are the moments when being shockingly extreme and unlistenable are forgotten, and overlapping patterns of melodic or textural fragments knot the listener into moods of darkness and contemplation. Here, Emit has found an outlet for its style, as the guitar is liberated from rigid hardcore/black metal style riffing and can focus on the mournful and regal use of ambient, repetitive melody, hiding it amongst distorted voices and sampled aural experiences of modern life. The pretenses of black metal should be discarded, as this release has more in common with Tangerine Dream and Godflesh than anything else. If this reviewer has anything to suggest, it is that this band not hold itself back, but plunge forward in the direction it is exploring, and use its dense layers of sonorous noise-guitar and vocals to develop a sense of melody and composition, as that is the strength of both this band and non-instrumental music in general, and -- well, nothing's been "shocking" for some time.



ENTHRONING SILENCE - A DREAM OF NIGHTSKIES
Review taken from Metalreview

As a journalist, it’s always delightful reading the press bios that labels attach with their releases. Frequently loaded with superfluous, unashamedly exaggerated prose that likens the band to each and every seminal pioneer in the extreme metal canon, press bios tend to be wanton exercises in absurdity, grossly inaccurate piles of manure that manage to do everything BUT describe the band fairly. Imagine my surprise when Enthroning Silence’s bio actually managed to simultaneously avoid farcical hyperbole (curses!!) and make my job easier! As the Total Holocaust blurb suggests, this is an impeccable synthesis between Abyssic Hate’s monumental landmark in suffocating self-loathing, Suicidal Emotions and the jet-black, ponderously acrid despondency of vintage Burzum, espousing a morbidly dark-hearted ethic that will likely find its niche amongst today’s finest merchants of doom n’gloom.

Musically this shares an ethical kinship with Total Holocaust’s like-minded roster, orienting their compositions around atmosphere and understated simplicity, evoking bitterly unsavory feelings of loss, despair and longing within repetitious, mesmerizing structures. There is a definite aesthetic conduit that exists between Enthroning Silence and many of today’s most en vogue flavors of the month- Nortt, Xasthur, Drudkh, Leviathan and Forgotten Tomb all advocate a similarly minded strain of melancholia, cohering spiteful bitterness through drawn-out, hauntingly melodic dronescapes. To be fair, however, Enthroning Silence are a rawer proposition than most, crafting a sound that is more urgent than Nortt, more consistently engaing than Xasthur, less frilly/flowery than Drudkh and better written than either Leviathan or Forgotten Tomb.

Am I, then, asserting that Enthroning Silence belongs at the very apex of the Hviss Lyset Tar Oss aping crowd? It is a little early for me to call at this stage, but the most captivating moments on A Dream Of Nightskies unequivocally surpass much of its vastly overrated competition. Opener “I Evoked Through Mysts And Dark Horizons” is a chilling MASTERPIECE in evocative, villainously depressive songcraft, weaving serpentine, elegant melodies in between pulsating salvos of insistent double bass, shifting seamlessly between tempos and moods with remarkable effortlessness as slithering, layered guitar lines coil around your consciousness and hold you hostage for the ten minute duration of the track. The remaining three tracks are similarly entrancing, boasting WATERTIGHT structures that comprehensively run the gamut from chilly, cruel blastbeat-intensive sections to majestic, excruciatingly expressed passages of abysmal torment. It would be rather pointless to isolate select sections of the record, considering each moment works better as a minute seam in the grander patchwork that is A Dream Of Nightskies.

I know it appears as though I’m gushing here, which I probably am, but I have immersed myself in this record more often than I’d like to admit over the past few days. While Beatrik’s debut record remains the hallmark Total Holocaust release, I would certainly assert that A Dream Of Nightskies presents a formidable challenge to their Italian brethren. Everything here WORKS- the rhythms are minimalistic without being haphazardly tedious, the insidious melodies shift often enough to deftly avoid monotony, the distant-sounding vocals infuse the record with tortured desperation (achieving something that Velvet Cacoon spectacularly failed to), the structures simultaneously exhibiting a disciplined thoughtfulness while allowing enough spaciousness for the listener to embark on his own flights of introspection. Fascinatingly Enthroning Silence works in both passive and active listenings- while acts such as Xasthur and Nortt prove to be exhausting if one does not devote the time and focus to them, Enthroning Silence proves a compelling and intoxicating experience in any circumstance, which should be welcome news to today’s attention-deficient audience.

If you are a fan of the post-Abyssic Hate ‘’depressive black art’’ (BWAHAHA) scene that has captured imaginations across the black metal landscape, I urge you to indulge in this. So much of this stuff is portentous and self-indulgent, so it’s fucking great to get something that it is accessible, genuine and thoroughly engaging from first minute to last.



GOATFIRE - SACROPHOBIC INITIATION
Review taken from Metalreview

With a name like Goatfire and a healthy, if meager, following amongst European circles, one might expect a filthy black thrash hybrid along the lines of Black Goat or countrymen Necromessiah, but instead this reissue offers raw, somewhat predictable orthodox black metal, a rather disappointing proposition considering their Italian roots.

That isn’t to say this is all bad, just rather tepid and not entirely engaging, traversing well-trodden paths once ploughed by Norwegian forefathers. There is a pretty pronounced Darkthrone feel throughout the record, the band shifting from blasting, frigid sections into more nefarious ‘’rocking’’ post-Panzerfaust passages that periodically urge bouts of headnodding, yet are never quite lethal enough to encourage frenzied headBANGING. That being said, the record truly has its moments- the sparkling clean passage that intersects “Enlightenment In Primeval Chaos” is pretty nifty, the malevolent groove that surfaces 50 seconds through “Monumental Transfixion” is a fierce motherfucker of a riff, the sub-De Mysteriis passage that arises three minutes through “Infernal Ascension” is promising, as is the quasi Kronet Til Konge groove that materializes 01:40 through “Dormant Vortex”. However, these moments are encrusted in a lot of nebulous, cackhanded messiness that cloaks this release in mediocrity.

Maybe I might have enjoyed this release far more a few years ago, before the whole post-Darkthrone, Clandestine Blaze/ Katharsis/ Sargeist/ Craft/ Armagedda helmed sound gained so much momentum in the underground. As it is, I am frankly quite exhausted by this particular style, and while Goatfire clearly predated such lukewarm plagiarists, when digested in 2005, Sacrophobic Initiation ultimately feels somewhat redundant and unnecessary. I’m sure there’s a whole host of people who would disagree with me, but this really doesn’t do a whole lot for me.



HERESI - PSALM I
Review taken from Metalreview

Hot on the heels of the sublime Hell Militia record comes the debut effort of their rather like-minded labelmates, Sweden’s rather enigmatic Heresi. Instead of the post Peaceville Darkthrone revisionism favored by Sweden’s most en vogue underground outfits, Heresi seem to have opted for something that is more inclined towards De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas’ more aggressive passages (in turn being on the opposite extreme of say, Shining and Ondskapt) Pure Holocaust era Immortal and shades of earlier Satyricon. Nothing revelatory, then, or particularly interesting, but still solid enough to warrant a recommendation for fans of Nordic frigidity.

The keyword here is songwriting, which is of a uniformly excellent quality throughout the duration of this three song EP. Much like Hell Militia, Heresi are quite blatantly derivative of their influences, but manage to varnish the glaring obviousness of their pilfering with consistently engaging melodies and deftly wound, watertight structures. The mix is oriented around the trebly, high-register guitar lines, with intricate, worryingly entrancing melodies navigating us through the seedy underbelly of spite and loathing. Parallels to Satyr’s once-mighty, now-farcical outfit are quite striking, particularly in the quasi-medieval, pseudo-folky melodicism and lofty, cavernous feel of the production, drum notes echoing and sustaining in the distance while Skamfer’s vocals appear to be emanating from some faraway chamber.

Similarities also surface in the band's affinity for dynamism - while Psalm I does not attempt to replicate the range of folk instruments displayed on Dark Medieval Times or truly emulate the despairing void of Pure Holocaust, there is the same inclination towards deliberate, nefarious down tempo sections wedged between despotic bursts of blastbeats, as well as the same tangential sense of melody that threatens to stumble into haphazard territory, but never strays too far, emphasizing and repeating key riffs to hypnotic effect. While some of it may seem a little too calculated for its own good when each constituent component is isolated and dissected, the sonic sum is very compelling indeed, each track evoking a genuine sense of dread on repeated listenings.

So there you have it. Slow guitars, trebly Norse melodies, blasting drums, and liberal use of fleshed-out, down tempo sections to break up the frenzied, oppressive ferocity. You’ve heard it all before, and if you are averse to hearing it again, I can find little in this release that would convince you otherwise. Admittedly, I typically abhor stuff like this, but much like Hell Militia have done, Heresi have presented a rather consummate and viscerally affecting argument as to why I should be a little less myopic sometimes. Far from essential, but still another worthy offering from an always impressive label.


Review taken from Franang Zine.

Here's a new religious B.M band coming from Sweden, and they're first attempt in the scene is through this 3 tracks MCD. Heresi creates a nightmarish B.M veil through uncomfortable mood, that capture your soul to grind it into piece. The guitar riffs are intoxicating, thrilling with repetitive solis while the mid tempo drumming emphasises this feeling. Obviously the vocals are summoning death chant praising against the man kind, with a scolding tone. These 3 tracks are excellent B.M in the vein of Funeral Mist, Ondskapt and so on.



THRALLDOM - BLACK SUN RESISTANCE
Review taken from Metalreview

The Noo Yawk blasphemer known as Ryan Lipynsky is apparently a man of many moods - while his main focus, Unearthly Trance, comfortably reside amongst the upper echelon of today’s doom elite, a veritably kvlt mélange of Celtic Frost, Winter and Burning Witch, his blackened rock n’roll outfit Villains exudes a much looser, more frivolous and debauched feel, exuberantly extolling the virtues of metal and beer through a firmly Venom/Bathory filter. Of late, however, much fuss has been made over “Black Sun Resistance”, the Total Holocaust debut from Sir Lipynsky’s militantly cruel black metal project, Thralldom. Having secured a rather loyal, but still shamefully insubstantial fanbase after the issue of Beast Eye Opened To The Sky on underground institution Bestial Onslaught, Thralldom have returned to lay waste to complacent, derivative, scenester black metal and piss on the dogmatic doctrines you hold dear.

Think Hellhammer, think Bathory circa The Return, think Strappado-era Slaughter, think vintage Darkthrone, think Obsessed By Cruelty/In The Sign Of Evil-era Sodom, all curdled together with a filthy punk edge that recalls Cryptic Slaughter, the most rabid Black Flag material and MDC. Not altogether unlike the latter day, punk-inspired Darkthrone material, really, though in truth Thralldom are far more uncompromising and less ‘rocking’ than Darkthrone’s newest incarnation (which, of course, is not to suggest that I dislike Darkthrone’s new direction, because I basically replicate it for my own band). I guess in some senses one could think of Thralldom as latter day Darkthrone ideas dragged kicking and screaming through the fetid filth of Panzerfaust and Transylvanian Hunger, though such a description would do scarcely any justice to the depth of the Thralldom experience.

The songs on offer here are far superior to a Katharsis or a Clandestine Blaze, exhibiting a sensitivity for texture, repetition and atmosphere that would come naturally to someone who has mastered these facets of the musical equation and conscientiously applied them to a more demanding doom metal template. Many have, over the years, suggested that Unearthly Trance are but a black metal band slowed down to a sluggish crawl, and when one plays Black Sun Resistance, the parallels do become rather apparent - there is the same affinity for bludgeoning, smothering, bass-driven grooves, obscured beneath bilious clouds of obscenely distorted instrumentation, as well as the same inclination towards the delectably evil dirges of Hellhammer.

Lipinsky is also acutely aware of the hypnotic potential of minimalism and repetition- “Diminishing Daylight” boasts a PUMMELING Hellhammer groove that insidiously wallows into your consciousness, but the track TRULY excels in its concluding passage, where a dissonant chord is repeated, supported by lofty, warlike percussion to yield for truly memorable, ritualistic feeling results. A song deserving of many spins, indeed! There’s a lot of super cool, meandering lead work that adds piquancy and a decidedly Brazilian flair to the proceedings as well (ie the opening passage of “Soothsayer Of The Red Moon”, where the lead bleeds all over the opening section and then wails ubiquitously throughout the rest of the track, adding dramatic depth and dimension).

The operative word for the production here would likely be NASTY. Dirty and acrid without sounding muddy or muted, this isn’t some obnoxiously harsh and trebly black metal that aspires towards rehearsal quality sound for the sake of underground credit. Rather, the bass exerts more of a presence here than it does on your typical underground black metal record, though in truth it serves little purpose other than to provide a supplementary crux for the churning riffing. Everything here is significantly distorted and warped, rendering it into a nightmarish, grotesquely apocalyptic experience, firmly aligned with the bleak lyrical outlook of the album, which is bleakly subversive in trademark Lipynsky fashion - “Eyes taking in images of warp-speed corrosion/ Nausea paints the picture in the sensory organs/ Folding vortex inside the falling corpse/ You can’t sell your flesh now/ There is no more technology, when the sun goes down”. Everything on this record just FITS, from the lyrical concept to the production to the track sequencing, I even dig the somber, unsettling ambient interlude “Sin Is Necessary (As Is Air)”, a slithering, ominous 5 minutes of skincrawling darkness that actually makes sense in the context of the record, as opposed to being incomprehensible filler wedged awkwardly into the album to extend playing time.

If you share my perspective on today’s black metal, you are probably interminably frustrated with the hordes of flimsy replicas currently flooding the market with substandard Darkthrone facsimile records. Much of this idolatry is simply that - blatant formulaic banditry that utterly fails to do any sort of justice to the misanthropic majesty of Nagell and Skjellum. It is an utter relief, then, that a band has appropriated the teachings of Norway’s finest in an INTERESTING and thoroughly INVOLVING fashion. At a brief 31 minutes, Black Sun Resistance never outstays its welcome and begs for repeated listens. Surely among the year’s finest black metal records, and by now certainly among the very finest black metal bands on American soil. As with all Total Holocaust recordings, this is LIMITED, so you’d best be on your way to your local distro to snag a copy.


Review taken from BW&BK

New York’s Thralldom are now officially part of the US black metal elite. Black Sun Resistance presenting itself as an esoteric nightmarish vision where aesthetic power and unearthly vibes scrape away in this reflection of humanity’s, and America’s, spiritual downfall. Picture a conjuring vision of Darkthrone’s Transilvanian Hunger and Autopsy’s Mental Funeral, and this is where Thralldom somewhat dwell, while emanating some truly frightening tripped-out vibes. Almost like the nightmarish vision Martin Scorsese conjured up with his Taxi Driver masterpiece, Thralldom almost serving as the hellish soundtrack to such a film. One of 2005’s black metal triumphs that very few will match, musically, and especially on a virulent aesthetic level that is untouchable.

Chris Bruni [9]


Review taken from Franang Zine.

After few minutes of listening to the intro, the first thing I noticed is the low production of this album, it's seems the music comes from far await, as if the bands was playing in a tunnel. Thralldom is a nihilist B.M band, with simple and straight way of playing for the rhythmic, while there're many devilish solos. They insisting on repeating the same riffs on and to get the listener mad such as in " Diminishing Daylight". The core of the album is a kind of regression of all means to get a minimalist music, void of any useless arrangements. Thralldom reaches the line of occult music which such a sound and compositions, they bring you to a weird world where they're their only master. A strange release, but worth discovering it.



WOODS OF INFINITY (SWE) - HEJDÅ
Review taken from Metalreview

Just when you thought black metal had absolutely exhausted its arsenal of politically incorrect pronouncements, we appear to have reached a new high (or indeed, low?) with Sweden’s Woods Of Infinity, a relatively new outfit who have aroused quite a ruckus among underground circles for their vocal affinity for paedophilia. While it is highly unlikely that paedo BM will dethrone NS as the aspiring black metal terrorist’s ideology of choice, the resultant sensationalism that has erupted from WoI’s brashly libidinous statements has certainly given them a fair deal of attention, positive or otherwise. Black metal’s credo is, after all, that all publicity is good publicity.

All this would be moot, of course, if Woods Of Infinity purveyed worthless noise. To some degree, this was both true and false of their Total Holocaust debut F&L. While being a thoroughly original affair, merging raw and desolate Forgotten Woods-esque black drone with bleak Raison D’etre black ambient and subtle psychedelic flourishes into one curiously antagonistic package, F&L was a thoroughly disconcerting and confounding listen, demanding a patient ear to unravel the unhinged perversion within. Hejda presents a similarly off-putting proposition that alternates between disturbing brilliance and almost satirical ridiculousness. This tongue-in-cheek shtick is further consolidated by the rather comic photographs in Hejda’s sleeve, which features among other things a picture of a drowning 5 year old girl, a photo of a bloodied Ravenlord embracing a naked doll and Melkor spanking an anonymous set of buttocks. While one can certainly appreciate the fact that WoI don’t partake in the grimmer-than-thou posturing of much black metal, such images certainly serve to color some of the more befuddling moments of the record, prompting one to question if Hejda is indeed a work of elaborate farce.

For a band that recently announced an impending split with Norsk weirdos Joyless, Woods Of Infinity certainly share an aesthetic conduit with said band, exhibiting a dizzying mélange of somber Death In June moodiness, Lush type melancholia and bizarre folk flourishes while remaining loosely rooted in the metal that bred them. This record sees them embracing said influences in a similarly overt manner. After a rather unnecessary spoken word intro, “Köld” presents an odd juxtaposition of crude, misanthropic ghastliness and reflective melodicism, a gentle classical guitar line floating weightlessly above a gruesome bloodstained wall of grating Nordic noise. What results is what sounds like primordial Enslaved and early Ulver covering Joyless’ Unlimited Hate record, quite an enchanting number indeed. “Under Färden”, meanwhile, employs a similar template, utilizing dark, driving, Cure-ish gloom-pop chords that provide an affecting background for the unearthly howls of Melkor. A minute into the track, a BRILLIANT Gothic chamber synth line is introduced, infusing the track with an enveloping, macabre majesty. The folky threads of F&L surfaces and take foremost prominence on “Kärlek Och Vänskap”, the track taking a sub-Graveland direction that is decidedly different from the swirling somberness of the previous tracks.

The more one plays Hejda, the more apparent their parallels with Joyless/Forgotten Woods become. There is the same desolate sullenness, the same spacious expansiveness, and perhaps most importantly, the same overbearing Velvet Underground psychedelic sensibilities, most apparent in tracks like “En Förgangen Tid” with its jangly introductory passage and the meditative midsection of “Det Som Hände”. While not quite as consistently excellent as Forgotten Woods or Joyless (who I regard as two of the FINEST bands to ever emerge from Scandinavian shores), Woods Of Infinity certainly draw favorable comparisons in Hejda’s more linear passages. The songwriting here is not always up to snuff, and there are a few tracks here that still frustrate me after repeated listenings (the cover of Barry Manilow’s “Old Songs”, the intro/outro….why?!) , but largely this is a very worthy successor to the weirdo throne vacated by Ved Buens Ende’s Written In Waters, Fleurety’s Min Tid Skall Komme and, yes, the first Joyless record. Hell, the guitar tone and drum sound even makes me think of Forgotten Woods, which is an extremely positive thing!

If you are searching for something adventurous, inventive and utterly disdainful of the prevalent trends circulating around today’s facepainted circles, Hejda will likely prove a pleasing listen. If you are a moralist who feels Woods Of Infinity infringe upon good ethical hygiene, kindly eject your politically correct posterior out of this review now! Like F&L, this record is a complex, dumbfounding release that transgresses all established codes and presents a document of a band unafraid to blaze their own filth-paved path. It may be a little uneven, but a band of such bold resolve is surely worth some attention.


Review taken from Franang Zine.

For these who never experienced Woods Of Infinity, this is definitely the kind of love or hate band as their concept is pretty against all conventional B.M stuffs you can listen to these days. Actually "Heja" ("Good Bye") is pretty difficult to describe as to get into this album you should erase all the ideas you've about B.M music. Their tunes are rather calm, slow tempo tunes, with a high pitched sorcerer vocals delivering lyrics. Sometimes the singer just screams or laugh at you like invoking some strange demons, while the guitar work is once again in opposition to any kind of use you could imagine. WOI creates a feeling melting madness and curse all along the tracks. Perhaps I could compare this with Joyless, which according to me would be the easiest way to explain this album, but don't get me wrong, WOI are apart and fucking original. Now, it's a matter of taste, to enjoy this CD.