Akerbeltz - A Wave Of Darkness
?????, 19??

What is rolling towards us while listening to this record is really a wave of darkness. This Spanish one-man band brings us seven tracks of pure black energy with deep, impressive lyrics. Musically seen every instrument is well played, the vocals are very dirty and blasphemous, not too high pitched and never monotonous. The speed varies between fast and mid-tempo parts. All in all a very dark and good album that is worth buying. For me a bonus point is the good design of the cover(it shows a wolf standing in the snowfall at night in b/w) and the whole booklet.

Darkwood

Allegiance - Blodörnsoffer
No Fashion, 1997

This is a project/second band of B. War and Fredrik from MARDUK, so everyone should know what to expect - yep, this is almost as uninspired and soulless as the last few releases of their main band. It's actually supposed to be Viking Metal, but I couldn't find anything ‚viking' in any of the songs as they mainly consist of the well-known ‚blastblastblast plus shitty Abyss production'-formula which makes most swedish BM bands such a pain in the ass. The bombastic synth in-/outro is quite nice though...

EquimanthorN

Amestigon - Höllentanz MCD
Napalm Records, 1997

Being their 2nd release after the split with ANGIZIA these are surely the rawest recordings AMESTIGON put out, and I also dare to say that they are their best. I can almost see the Napalm-crew turning pale when hearing this for the first time - thin guitars, muddy drum sound and the total absence of keyboards is exactliy what they didn't need in their quest of converting to a shitty Gothic Metal-label, and it surely is no miracle that the band got dropped after this release. Lovers of raw, obscure BM (=the readers of this zine) on the other hand should have no problems enjoying these 3 slow-paced songs (plus an instrumental outro) which are written in a simple, but very effective way. As I already said in my review of their latest demo AMESTIGON have never released something really outstanding, but their mixture of BURZUM and ABIGOR (former band of some of the members) always succeeds in delivering the right feeling for this kind of music and therefore gets my praise.

EquimanthorN

Azaghal - Suicide Anthems /
Beheaded Lamb - Dark Blasphemous Moon
Millenium Metal Music, 2000

This Split CD contains a co-operation from two bands across Europe. Azaghal (Finland) is certainly better known than Beheaded Lamb (Spain). Both bands are very skilled on their instruments and understand to transport a cold and nihilistic feeling in their music.
Azaghal offers us five Tracks under the name "Suicide Anthems", and if you listen to their pieces of Black Art these words really get a meaning. Very guitar-oriented depressive melodies as ever from this act, which are supported by the characteristic haunting voice of the shouter Varjoherra. The language changes for the first time to English in two tracks (Suicide Anthem 2001 and Kill Yourself), the other three tracks come in finnish as usual.
Beheaded Lamb are present here with four tracks that remind me a bit of my spanish faves Akerbeltz; perhaps because Akerbeltz plays Guitars here as well as Lilith can be found on the drums (both members in Akerbeltz). The similiarity is obvious but don´t misunderstand me, because it's not a simple copy, just the style is similar in both bands. That can´t be bad when it comes to this sort of furious southern BM which gives a lot more to me than most of the new offerings from Norway or Sweden. All in all you get an offering of nine tracks that are definitely worth purchasing. Again out on Millenium Metal Music and as most of their releases limited to 900 copies. Be fast!!!

Darkwood

Belphegor - The Last Supper
Lethal Records, 1994

Austrian Barbarians, hated by everyone calling himself an ‚accepted member of society' - their recent behaviour at the ‚Hell On Earth' - festival caused a wave of disgust amongst the aforementioned, which is just another reason to support those sick bastards as it is one of the things this fuckin' music is all about! ‚Sick' is also the best term to describe their music, especially on this album - Black/Death Metal without the nice melodies Bands of this genre usually have. Instead of that we get a slap of Blasphemy-influenced blasting madness, mixed with the best that ever came out of Scandinavia and Florida. The vocals here are truly outstanding - they never get extremely low or high, but still manage to raise the insane level of perversion the music creates even higher. Add the rarely used, but very effective keys - and there you have it: One of the few albums that come close to the filthness legendary acts like Profanatica, Beherit and Blasphemy once created. Adorable!

EquimanthorN

Besatt - Hail Lucifer
Seven Gates Of Hell / Undercover Records, 2000

As we all know the polish BM scene has an excellent reputation (at least for their musical achievements...). Therefore my expectations for this debut album were quite high, but unfortunately BESATT failed to live up to them almost completely. The typical polish style that was created by bands like GRAVELAND is hardly present here - most songs rather sound like old GORGOROTH-stuff with influences from various other Norwegian legends, except for the beginning of ‚Black Banner', which was entirely stolen from GRAVELANDs ‚Blood Of Christians On My Sword'. But plagiarism - some other riffs also sound very familiar to me - isn't the only problem with this album. I can clearly hear that BESATT surely ‚understand' the essence of BM, but nevertheless their material fails in leaving a lasting impression. Listening to the seven songs without losing concentration is in fact almost impossible as everything seems so hollow and, to sum it up, just uninteresting. Stuff like that has been done way better by legions of other bands, and so I really don't know who (except for completists) should actually buy ‚Hail Lucifer'. BESATT are almost doomed to fail if they don't improve a lot before releasing another album...

EquimanthorN

Bloodstorm - Pestilence From The Dragonstar
Soul Sold Music, 1999

Hell yes, that's exactly how albums like this should begin: no crappy intro, just some chaotic high speed massacre fittingly entitled ‚Wrath And Vengeance'. Such a furious start (I almost went deaf when I first listened to this through headphones and at maximum volume...) really sets high expectations for the whole album, and, surprisingly enough, one doesn't get disappointed during the whole playing time of about 50 minutes. Somewhere between Celtic Frost/Hellhammer, Kreator and ‚modern' BM, BLOODSTORM found their own style which works really well. Most riffs are quite simple and sometimes repeated over and over again, but the songs never get boring because this monotony only adds to the primitive, savage feeling of their music. I even dare to say that they are sometimes able to match the intensity of masters like BLACK WITCHERY, which is about the biggest compliment I can spit out for this kind of music. Standout tracks are the aforementioned opener and the HELLHAMMER/CF-style ‚Sucessor To The Plague Gods' which makes you band your head instantly. Oh, and don't let yourself scare away by the ‚artwork' which is amongst the ugliest I've ever seen (be thankful that this zine is strictly b/w - a full colour scan of the cover could make you go blind!)...

EquimanthorN

Black Candle - Nightfire
Pagan Winter Productions, 2000 (?)

At first sight this can easily be mistaken for a typical Last Episode - release: Childish bandlogo, brilliant pseudonyms (Dark, Shadow, Fallen, Phosphoros - they almost beat Mystic Circle...) and equally stupid pics. Normally this would be reason enough to start a game of frisbee, but if one manages to get past the visual desaster he's actually in for a surprise. The drum sound sucks big time and 26 minutes isn't what I would call a full-length, but these are about the only real negative points I can make out as the music itself is well-executed old-school BM in the vein of Darkthrone, Immortal and even Celtic Frost. No standout tracks can be found, but this isn't much of a problem either as they manage to stay on a relatively high level of quality during the whole ‚album'. Very primitive, yet effective songwriting and fitting harsh vocals further add to a pleasant listening experience, and although this is far from being a must-buy it will surely appeal to many fans of the genre.

EquimanthorN

Countess - Ad Maiorem Sathanae Gloriam
Nazgul's Eyrie Prod., 1995

'Holland's COUNTESS have become a true underground legend in the ten years of their existence, and this album is usually considered to be the most accessible of their early works. The sound here is much more polished than on their first two albums, but still restrains from getting too slick with its fuzzy guitar distortion. Songwriting stays between pure BATHORY-worship ('The Priest Must Die'), mid-paced stuff sometimes comparable to BURZUM and the more Rock'N'Roll-style approach later perfectionized on 'Hell's Rock'N'Roll' and establishes a very unique sound by adding weird lead guitars and keyboards. Lots of creative ideas and the sick and very dirty voice of Orlok result in the typical atmosphere only COUNTESS can create and keep the listener hooked during the whole 48 minutes. Additional bonus points are earned with the sick ballad 'Blood On My Lips' and the SAINT VITUS-cover 'Born Too Late', which shows that Orlok stays faithful to his roots, even though the original of course can't be topped. Final verdict: BUY IT!!! (Did anyone expect anything else from this brilliant band?!)

EquimanthorN

Darkthrone - Goatlord
Moonfog, 1996

I know that writing about DARKTHRONE is one of the most useless things one could waste his spare time with as almost everything of them has already been reviewed to death (Didn't I already write something like that for 'Panzerdivision Marduk?! Oh well, hail creativity...), but in this case it's quite different. 'Goatlord', for those who still don't know (You stupid fucks!), is the lost Death Metal album which has been instrumentally recorded between 'Soulside Journey' and 'A Blaze…' and was finally released in '96 with newly added vocals. Since then it was widely critizised, but I can't really understand why - sure, it's Death Metal, but in its darkest form, spreading this special sick feeling very few bands of the genre ever managed to achieve. All songs are rather slow and focus more on atmosphere than on brutality, a fact that brings them closer to DARKTHRONEs later works than one might expect. Most vocals are in the well-known 'post-Soulside Journey' - style, but sometimes mournful clean wails and even a female voice (Or is it Fenriz/Nocturno Culto singing falsetto? No one really knows…) appear, sounding rather avantgardistic and truly sick. Additionally, all instruments were recorded during rehearsal, so they come across really DIRTY. Almost nothing here sounds like what is usually expected from early 90s-DM - no technical skill wanking, no speed and brutality, nothing polished, just pure fuckin' darkness which can't be heard, but has to be felt. Any TRUE fan of DARKTHRONE or raw BM in general should enjoy this nearly as much as any of their other releases.

EquimanthorN

Deinonychus - Ark Of Thought
Supernal Music, 1997

Sure, this isn't black. It's not evil in any way either. Nevertheless I think it deserves to be mentioned here - simply because ‚Ark Of Thought' is one of the most depressing and suicidal pieces of music I have ever heard. Maybe some ignorants would call it Gothic Metal, but they couldn't be more wrong. Keyboards are always present and often dominate the sound, but in a very monotonous way and without any ‚beauty'; they just support the creeping riffs and drum patterns, which sometimes break into simple, machine-like blasts. The voice of Marco Kehren (who plays all instruments as well) is truly torturous - no real BM screeching, but rather despaired wails with an additional rasp to make them sound even more sad and extreme. Some of the songs end with abrupt fade-outs, which can be quite disturbing, but I guess this is also part of the totally depressing atmosphere - no hope, no satisfying endings... The only comparisons (in terms of atmosphere) I can come up with are ABYSSIC HATE and BURZUMs ‚Filosofem', so survivors of those two should grab a spare razorblade and try to live through the abyss that is DEINONYCHUS - I guess some blood will have to flow...

EquimanthorN

Fimbulwinter - Servants Of Sorcery
Hot Records, 1996

‚Blodörnsoffer‘ by ALLEGIANCE is a piece of crap and so I decided to trade it for this supposed ‚cult record‘ containing the demo plus some bonus tracks by the first BM band of Shagrath (D**** B*****) and Skoll (ULVER). Looking back now I could as well have sticked to the swedish boredom as the trade didn’t make things much better... Of course it’s raw norwegian Black Metal, but that’s really the only positive thing about it. Riffing and songwriting aren’t really bad, but somehow Shagrath & co. managed to successfully stay away from things like atmosphere or spirit as far as possible. The six songs (plus a mediocre cover of CF’s ‚Morbid Tales‘) go by as if nothing has happened, which probably qualifies them as music for housewifes to do the ironing by, but doesn’t make a decent album. At least two certainties can be derided from the dreadful listening experience: Shagrath didn‘t understand Black Metal even before he became a rock star... and it’s good to know that I could sell this piece of plastic waste to some moronic kid at e-gay for about 100$ any time - all hail the glory of a true cult classic!

EquimanthorN

Hemlock - Lust For Fire
Full Moon Productions, ?

Every time the bony head of Dan Lilker appears on a release you can bet your ass there's some sick shit inside... DARKTHRONE (especially 'Goatlord'), BEHERIT and probably some other old legends can be found within these songs, but there's more behind them - demented screaming, the noisy/distorted sound and unconventional, sometimes chaotic songwriting form an ultra-violent mixture that can hardly be compared to anything else I have heard before. Some parts even have a feeling to them that's similar to some Industrial/Power Electronics stuff, which also fits well to the very un-BMish, but nevertheless excellent and disturbing artwork. Oh, maybe I should also mention that 'Lust For Fire' clocks in at just 24 minutes, but who actually cares when he has the pleasure to let HEMLOCK constantly kick and piss on his head during this short period of time?! Sickness prevails!

EquimanthorN

Judas Iscariot - Heaven In Flames
Red Stream, 1998

Even though everyone around me was hyping JI as if it was the most groundbreaking thing since the early nineties I never really gave a fuck - the few excerpts of Akhenaten's work I had heard were not exactly impressing and made the whole case look like an image thing to me... Well, these times are certainly over since I fished 'Heaven In Flames' out of some bargain box - sure, this album is far from being innovative, original or anything like that (everything has been done by standards like DARKTHRONE or BURZUM a long time ago), but at least it's top notch in its category. Take the opener 'An eternal kingdom of fire' for example: It starts out like typical DT-worship, but during the second half of the songs keyboards are used in such an excellent way that they shift the atmosphere to an utterly depressive direction. Such parts can (to a lesser extent) also be found in some of the other songs, and they work perfectly all the time. And even though some of the riffs don't sound fully inspired there are still plenty of brilliant guitar parts to keep the listener bewitched, like in 'From Hateful Visions' which is amongst the best pieces of music Count Grishnackh never wrote. As I said there are also a few weaker parts, but they almost vanish between the brilliant moments and never get in the way of an intense and painful listening experience. I guess I'm converted now... or at least I have to admit that JI deserves the high status it has these days. I still refuse to declare Akhenaten a BM superstar though... ;)

EquimanthorN

Kawir - To Cavirs
Nix Productions, 1996 (?)

Yet another gem that never reached a broader (Black Metal) audience... I bought this second hand at one of the two metal stores in Istanbul (!) and never saw it anywhere else so it might be rather hard to get, but believe me, it's worth the effort! Musicalwise these greeks are rather hard to describe, maybe a mixture of Burzum and old Katatonia comes close, but there are also many folkloristic elements which make it very unique. They appear both during the songs and as instumental interludes and never get on my nerves, which is something that can't be praised enough - maybe it's due to the fact that they use traditional instruments instead of standard Keyboard sounds like most of those crappy Folk Metal bands do. But the ‚metal' part is of superior quality too - it tends to be a litte monotonous, but if one is in the right mood it summons that special ancient feeling only greek bands can create, mixed with, as already mentioned, Burzum-style melancholy, which is also supported by passionately screamed vocals.
Another thing worth mentioning is surely the artwort - a very strange format (look at the cover scan...) with an equally big booklet containing all lyrics and some additional explanations concerning the band name and ideology. It's not exactly what I would call beautiful, but surely something special - just like the music that's buried within....

EquimanthorN

Khisanth - Forseen Storms Of The Apokalypse
Baphomet Records, 2002

KHISANTH is another US-BM band that I can recommend to nearly everyone listening to black metal. The album starts with a spoken intro,mixed with keyboards.The rest of the 8 songs are satanic mid- and high-tempo black metal. The soundstructures are quite tricky, involving good tempo-changes. I especially like the drums because you hear the trashy sound quite good. Although it's "trashy" you hear every instrument clearly and well divided while recording them. The keyboards can especially be found at slow passages..they don't disturb the atmosphere, they are part of it!
The songs last quite long, 8 songs at about 52 minutes. Lyrics are printed in the booklet,but the font is quite small... anyway, this album is an interesting mixture of different styles which can be found in the black metal art. It's no fault to buy it..

Thanx again to the Red Stream crew!

http://members.tripod.com/khisanth666/

Amahil

Krieg - The Church
????, 19??

This MCD is a fucking raw piece of pure unholyness and filth. Imperials sharp and cutting vocals are surrounded by an extremely distorted guitar play and the furious drumming from Sarcophagus´ drummer Duane Timlin. In this way the listener is guided through this five-track opus that opens up with the "Destruction Ritual". So this MCD continues the triumphous march that Krieg began with their first offical release "Rise of the Imperial hordes". In the same way very raw and unpolished sound (engineered by Akhenaten) as on the debut album which gives the record a special feeling from beginning to the end.

Darkwood

Kult Ov Azazel - Of Evil And Hatred /
Krieg - Sono Il Schemo
????, 19??

This Split CD contains two cult acts from the USA. The beginning is given to Kult ov Azazel, formerly known as Azazel. After a short intro Xul (vocals) and Xaphan (strings) start with the roaring opener "In the Plagued Realm" which is marked with a very fast drumming and the screams from Xul (which are a bit monotonous sometimes, but don´t mind). This program is held till the end of the KoA side (the vocals get better with track four).
Yet another short intro from Krieg which we know well from their debut and from the 4-way split (with Judas Iscariot, Eternal Majesty and Macabre Omen). After this intro we´re led in the darkness that Imperial understands so well to create with his works. The sound is not as good as on the KoA side but this is a point that the followers of the Underground shouldn´t be afraid of. These tracks come close to the ones on the 4-way split which are amongst the best from this band in my opinion.
Get up and put this album in your player, and if you don´t have it, BUY it!

Darkwood

Marduk - Panzer Division Marduk
Osmose Productions, 1999

Yeah, I know that it's pretty obsolete to review an album that well-known, but I just feel the need to say what a PILE OF SHIT this is....
Marduk themselves used to call this ‚the Reign In Blood of Black Metal' - I know Slayer produced a lot of crap lately, but they surely don't deserve to be insulted that way! Of course, PDM is fast as hell, but that alone doesn't make a brutal album. Such also needs effective songwriting, fitting production and something called ‚feeling'. None of these elemtents are present here - instead you get some mindless, monotonous blasting for the sake of being fast, supported by the typical artificial Abyss-sound with blurred guitars and no feeling at all. Surely, I can listen to and somehow enjoy this under the influence of alcohol (like now...), but normally it bores me to death, which is about the worst thing I can say about music. Buy Those Of The Unlight and Opus Nocturne, but forget this. It's not even worth mentioning (I'm already asking myself why I wrote this review anyway... fuck it...)!

EquimanthorN

Nashehrhum - Remember The Shining Moons Of The Black Autumns MCD
Maggot Productions, 1995

Pretty interesting - not to say laughable - title, isn't it?! The music of this obscure Italian outfit isn't as generic though - no standard BM here, instead you get a mixture of synth music with a 'deep space' feel to it, including sparsely used guitars and screamed vocals, plus some BM-influenced stuff (on 2 tracks). It's actually quite interesting that the BM-songs don't differ that much from the purely electronic pieces; they just include more guitars and a drum machine, but one can still hear that they were probably written for keyboard as this instrument is clearly dominant. The overall feeling therefore is a quite chaotic one and sometimes makes me think that some parts were not completely thought-out. But on the other hand the very eerie electronic sounds really grew on me after some time and I really appreciate the obscure and original approach - it's a pity that this MCD obviously was their only release (at least AFAIK) as I would really like to know how they would have developed their style on further outputs...

EquimanthorN

Nastrond - Toteslaut
Napalm Records, 1996

This is one of the releases from the time when Napalm still stood for dark, obscure releases instead of trendy Goth Metal (?) crap. And altough NASTROND can't really compete with the best bands they had back then (ABIGOR, KOROVA, SUMMONING, UNPURE, first SETHERIAL) they are still far superior to almost everything their former label puts out today and surely good enough for a haunting listening experience. Basically the stuff on ‚Toteslaut' is somewhere between Swedish and Norwegian BM, enriched with some very unique elements. Maybe some of the riffs here aren't the hottest and fall into the ‚standard BM' category, but interesting songwriting and weird keyboards make up for that and prevent the songs from becomg boring. Some parts even sound dissonant and chaotic in a very distinctive and original way, maybe also due to the rather special sound, especially in the guitar department. Lyrics aren't printed, but judging from songtitles and artwork these guys seem to have more than basic knowledge of the occult which sets them apart from the usual ‚Hail Satan!'-childishness. In conclusion this is surely an interesting release for those who seek more than brutality and agression within the realms of Black Metal - it's a pity that such releases are so rare these days...

EquimanthorN

Necromantia/Varathron - Black Arts Lead To Everlasting Sins Split CD
Unisound, 1994

The greek BM scene of the early 90s brought a lot of immortal classics, and this has to be one of the darkest and most obscure. Both bands show why they got their legendary reputation, but I have to say that especially NECROMANTIA managed to constantly send cold shivers down my spine. Their material on here is pretty similar to ‚Crossing The Fiery Path‘ (‚Lord Of The Abyss‘ actually appears on both releases), but the muddy production and a stronger focus on ambient-style parts makes it appear even darker and eerier than on said debut. Talking about single songs is superficial as each of them is a classic that has to be heard and adored...
VARATHRON, on the other hand, can’t really keep up with the brilliance of their predecessors, but of course their material also reigns supreme in a way that’s more ‚metal‘ than the atmospheric approach of NECROMANTIA, but still dark and wicked enough to please even the sickest. The classic ‚Genesis Of Aporypal Desires‘ has to be the standout track with its brilliant old school-influenced riffing that makes me think of POSSESSED without being a mere copy, but the other four tracks stand on an almost equally strong level and should be enjoyed by every BM maniac as well.
A must-have, without any doubt...

EquimanthorN

Sacrophagus - For We... Who Are Consumed By The Darkness
Pulverizer/Die Hard , 1996

Akhenaten may be a well-known man these days due to JI, but I guess only few know this band from which he originated - a sad fact which has to be changed. Don't expect pure BM though - SARCOPHAGUS are more or less a wrathful mixture of Black- and US-Death Metal with some Grind parts here and there, executed in a quite technical way (which proves that Akhenaten actually has advanced musical abilities despite the primitivity of JI). This may sound repulsive to some, but be assured that the dark and hateful atmosphere of his later works can also be found here, even in short grind eruptions like 'I Am Wrath'. Vocals are both screamed and grunted, bring forth quite varied and interesting lyricals contents and fit the music very well even though they are not really outstanding and aren't able to raise the level of aggression even further. So far the music could probably be roughly described as a crossing of BELPHEGOR and IMPALED NAZARENE, but there's one thing that makes this quite unique and recognizable - the keyboards, which also hint at later JI-times. They are used in a sparse, but very effective way and raise the whole atmosphere from sheer aggression to a higher level most Black/Death bands can't even dream of ever reaching. Listening before buying would nevertheless be a good idea as this original mixture probably doesn't cater for everyone's taste, but I guess there's a good chance that some of you will like it just as much as I do so give it a try - even though the 'cult' surrounding Akhenaten may be quite a turn-off...

EquimanthorN

Sort Vokter - Folkloric Necro Metal
Norse League Productions/Napalm Records, 1996

'Phenomenon' is about the most accurate term I can find to describe this masterpiece... Basically everthing is pretty close to the albums Ildjarn released under his name - simple, almost punkish riffs endlessly repeated over minimalistic, programmed drum patterns. Quite an effective formula which gave ILDJARN an utterly savage and primitive feeling.
Now enter SORT VOKTER: just add some ambient-style keyboard parts to give the whole thing a COMPLETELY different feeling and atmosphere. Every time those symphonic parts move in to add an additional layer to the above mentioned elements they totally change pace, emotional impact and the overall effect of the music in an absolutely unique and impressive way. Take 'Gralysning' as the perfect example: it starts off in typical Ildjarn-fashion, but after some time the guitars start to fade away and the underlying folkloristic keyboard line gets predominant, ending the song solely - quite a simple method, but with great effect on the listener. There are some more tracks working that way as well as pure electronic interludes, basic raw BM pieces and other weird and disturbing experiments, but everything fits together perfectly, creating moods and atmospheres which can truly alter the listener's state of mind.
Basically I could go on writing about the depths and emotional complexity of this brilliant piece of art for many pages, but I would probably still miss the point as music like this can only be understood by actually EXPERIENCING it (this means 'Buy it now!', if you still didn't get the message)...

EquimanthorN

Thorns - Thorns
Moonfog Productions, 2000

This kind of 'industrialized' BM is really getting on my nerves as the only good album that ever came from that direction was DODHEIMSGARD's '666 International', and the debut of the old legend THORNS is no exception. At least it's a bit better than the latest SATYRICON (which is not a big achievement anyway...), but that surely doesn't mean much and the overall impression is quite similar, probably because Satyr also put his dirty fingers on this one as vocalist and producer. Oh, and Hellhammer did the drums in a very professional, but otherwise unmotivated way...
I guess some of the riffs do have potential, but sadly they have no chance of standing against the dominion of bland and uninspired parts. The spirit is simply missing, everything feels like it was conceived at the Moonfog marketing department; this also shows in the standard design booklet which looks as slick and boring as those of their other bands.
People who loved 'Rebel Extravaganza' (Are there any...?) will probably get spontaneous erections while listening to 'Thorns', but those who prefer feeling over cold technical perfection should steer clear. I really believe that this kind of development leads straight into a dead end in 99% of all cases...

EquimanthorN

Thornspawn - Blood Of The Holy, Taint Thy Steel
Hammerheart/The Plague, 2000

According to the zines I've read this has to be the most violent USBM band which blows away almost everything the scene there has to offer. So off I went to buy this (shitty looking) CD and get myself blasted against the wall. Well... it surely is brutal both at high pace and in the midtempo department, the riffs are quite good most of the time and.... that's it! Yawn. No atmosphere, no thoughtful songwriting, no originality - everything that usually awakens my interest in music is missing here or has been done much better before. THORNSPAWN copy elements from both their own and the european scene without adding any own style and end up being the hybrid no one ever needed. I guess this is the US equivalent to what's called 'Norsecore' these days, and therfore this CD will probably (to continue the phrase used above) blasted against the wall if I don't find anyone stupid enough to buy/trade it...

EquimanthorN

V.A. - The Wine Of Satan (Vinnum Dei Satanas)
Spellbound Rec. / Soundphaze International 1993 (?)

I ordered this years ago as a bargain from Napalm Records, and being the stupd little kid that I was I disliked most of the stuff on it and let it rot in some dusty corner after a listen or two... pretty stupid, as I already said, 'cause this is not only one of the first, but also amongst the best Black Metal compilations ever. To give a good overview I'll go through the tracks one by one:

BEHERIT - Paradise Of Thy Demonic Host
Losing many words about this one should be a fuckin' waste of time, I guess... - as filthy, chaotic and perverse as ever and of course one of the highlights here. What a great opener!

BESTIAL WARLUST - Swarming Black Mass
I really adore their two albums, but this track from their Corpse Molestations days is a minor disappointment. This is O.K. Death Metal, but nowhere near as good as their later works and also a bit too long (about 5 ½ minutes).

PANDEMONIUM - Sunless Domain
A polish band I've never heard of before (or after..) playing slow, doomy Death Metal. Nothing really outstanding either, but it surely has a dark aura and is done with feeling, which is much more than one can say about most of today's bands...

MASTER'S HAMMER - Lithographic Calendar
Woah, what a KILLER! After a haunting and very bizarre intro this turns into one of the best ‚melodic' Black Metal songs I've ever heard. The excellent use of keyboards and passionate vocals (done in their mother tongue) create a bewitching atmosphere and show why these czechs are so legendary. A brilliant effort - I really need to get ‚The Jilemnice Occultist' as soon as possible!

THE BLACK - Book Of Leviathan
Fast, intense, and it's almost over before one can realize what he's up to. This side-project of Dissection is much more fist-in-face than their main band ever was, and therefore recommended. Cool!

CRUCIFIER - Chime Of The Goat's Head Bell
Brutal Black/Death from the land of free stupidity. The most outstanding feature are the ultra-deep vocals, otherwise it's pretty average, but done with a certain amount of feeling and class, just like the (much slower) PANDEMONIUM - Track. I recently found out that this band surprisingly still seems to exist, as they appeared on a rather new USBM - sampler...

PERDITION HEARSE - Intro/My Ancient Gods Behind Them All
A rather long keyboard/acoustic guitar intro with some words of wisdom, and then we're up to some black thrashing mid-tempo ritual. Vocals are excellently done by Ex-Mayhem singer Occultus, and some keyboards and fine breaks further add to the sinister atmosphere. The only strange thing is the fact that the volume seems to break down after about 3 minutes - maybe this was dubbed from a damaged tape?

MORTUARY DRAPE - Into The Catacomba
A very early demo track from these italian veterans - slow and VERY dark and obscure, this sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to it! Another highlight!

So there we have it - eight tracks of Black Metal history, crowned by a classic Thorncross - artwork. BEHERIT, MORTUARY DRAPE and the unbelievable MASTER'S HAMMER alone are worth the price, so do not think twice if you see this rare gem anywhere...

EquimanthorN

Vermeth - Your Ruin...
Drakkar, 2002

'I bought this just because of the moody packaging and the Nlack Legions-logo on it - a stupid move I'll surely never do again as 'Black Legions' Ruin...' would be a more appropriate title for this piece of junk. Well, at least the attitude here is harsh enough to satisfy, but that doesn't help much when the riffs sound like outtakes of the last MÜTIILATION-album (which wasn't really good either) and are thrown together in a very monotonous and boring way; endless repetitions over primitive (programmed) drum patterns which vary between mid- and uptempo make all songs basically sound the same. The bad musical abilities of Lord Beleth'Rim are getting pretty annoying as well - I usually don't have problems with such things, but in this case some of the timing and playing errors are almost painful to listen to. This would be tolerable if 'Your Ruin...' would be the first demo tape of some inexperienced newcomer band, but considering the fact that this guy has been making music for quite some years already (he formerly did TORGEIST) this is just laughable and should absolutely be avoided - buy some good demo releases instead!

EquimanthorN

Vondur - Stridsyfirlysing
Necropolis Records, 1996

Seeing a BM-album with pictures from 'Star Wars' all over the booklet is probably quite confusing; finding out that this is yet another project of It and All of ABRUPTUM (both wearing what has to be the worst corpsepaint in the history of mankind) should harden the impression that it is far off any 'musical standards'...
...which surprisingly is only true in some aspects, as part of music is based on ultra-fast, primitive and monotonous BM with a voice reminiscent of Dead and therefore not as far off the stream as expected. The other parts are pretty deranged though: you'll get spacy synth pieces with spoken word-passages (probably in correspondence to the artwork), strange, almost rocking midtempo-parts with sick & weird vocals and keyboards that remind me of the ENSLAVED-demo as they 'cut' through the rest of the music in a similar way. All these elements fit together in a way that even creates some utterly brilliant moments of sheer violence and hatred here and there - unfortunately these are quite few, but they're still sufficient to keep my interest up during the whole playing time. I can't really give a recommendation though as this album seems to be a love/hate-thing - some hate it for its monotony and weirdness (and for the programmed, ultra-simple drums - calling a drummer 'Irata' should ring some bells, hehe...) while others probably drool over the pretty unique and deranged atmosphere it creates. Guess you'll have to try it out for yourself...

EquimanthorN

Vulpecula - Fons Immortalis MCD
Merciless, 1997

Chuck Keller has already earned my deepest respect for his genius guitar work with ORDER FROM CHAOS, and this sadly defunct project which is solely done by him (except for the drums) once again proves his exceptional talent, even though its completely different from the raging black/thrash of his former band. VULPECULA deliver some kind of slow, cold and empty black/death with throaty vox which gains a lot of its appeal from the space-like synths which are used for interludes and in/outros. They also fit perfectly to the astronomy concept and the resulting depressive/forlorn atmosphere of the band which can be felt during every second of the six songs. Sometimes I'm even reminded of some early 90s death/doom bands, but the overall impression is much more obscure and unsettling. The only big complain I actually have about this release is its length - 19+ minutes is much too short to sink into the music completely, which makes it even more frustrating to know that this is the last release of such an exceptional band. Yet there's hope for us mere mortals as Keller's new band ARES KINGDOM (with OFC-drumer Mike Miller) should release their debut soon, but until then I strongly advise you to pick this up and get prepared for some of the coldest 19 minutes you'll ever experience in your life.

EquimanthorN

Wolfswinter - Nordal
Christhunt, 2001

Can't say that I'm too much impressed.... WOLFSWINTER probably tried their best to sound both raw&evil and melodic, but somehow this doesn't work out the way they want it to.
Songs move in and out without leaving much of a trace, shifting between mid- and uptempo which is something I can't really appreciate. The production also has its part in taking the power from the music as the guitars are too far in the background - during some parts one could almost get the impression of listening to one big drum solo. At least the bass is loud enough and no keyboards were used - I guess they would have pushed the (already pretty melodic) music straight into gayness...
I can't deny that there are also some promising parts on 'Nordal' and WOLFSWINTER surely do have quite some talent, but in summary they are, to tell the truth, just plain boring. Maybe the next album will be more enjoyable if they train their songwriting-skills and find a better studio, who knows...

EquimanthorN

Xasthur - Nocturnal Poisoning
Blood Fire Death, 2001

XASTHUR is a one-man band from the US,playing dark and really depressing black metal. Malefic plays all instruments, also including keyboards. He creates an incredible sound, offensive and introverted at the same time. Such feelings are expressed in the extreme vocals,which are - as Malefic told me - sometimes recorded spontaneously, because they bring the emotions which are sometimes different and changeable. The album is like a personal war, combining hate and sadness, so fans of cold black metal, hitting your inner-soul, should go deeper and try this album! This is music for those who feel like having a "dark soul",at least that's my impression..
The album contains 8 songs,at about 70 minutes. Thanx to Red Stream and Malefic!! Great work!

xasthur@hotmail.com
www.redstream.org

Amahil

<< back | CD reviews | Demo reviews

Altar Of Perversion - From Dead Temples (Towards The Ast'ral Path) LP + 7"
End All Life Prod., 2001

I own this fabulous LP for a long time but it's still hard to find the right words for this damn great piece of occult BM!
The LP is mid-tempo orientated mixed with slow parts (which are definitely the band's strengths) and fast blast attacks. The most impressing thing is that every song sounds like a mighty, dark opera; a piece of art for itself. This is - I think - because of the capability of the band to combine the lyrics with the music, so that it's one part and not two single aspects crushed together. It's one single block of dark thoughts, occult knowledge and a great artistic ability. Between the songs are atmospheric samples like on Abigor's "Channeling the..." album.
The songs were written in '98 and '99 but re-invented "with improvements" in 2000/01. The album also contains a 7"EP with two great songs... great idea and great work! The inlay fortunately offers all lyrics. This masterpiece is limited to 500 copies and, understandably, hard to get! I've heard a CD edition is planned...

altarofperversion@hotmail.com

Amahil

Grimthorn's Infernal Winter 666 / Uruk-Hai - Schall Und Rauch SPLIT 7"
CCP Records, 2001

For both austrian bands it's the debut single.For further information on GRIMTHORN read another review in the demo section.
GRIMTHORN's Infernal Winter 666 is starting with flutes,acoustic guitars and a whispering voice.After the drums get louder, the e-guitar and the known raw grimthorn-voice rule the song apart from the few moments were the raw vocals seem to combat the clean-sung voice. The drums and guitars are leading through the extremely hateful sound. Just one negative aspect is the silent sound of the drums. I just can't understand why the drums are in the background. There are not that many BM solo bands who don't use a drum machine and play the drums on their own like GRIMTHORN! The music is "marching away" with an organ, known from the Demo.
After a few seconds a 2nd short track is coming.It's a more typical form of Black Metal. To me the voice acts as a landscape of destruction,underlined with the known musical background. It must have been hard work to organise and record this song but it's only for fans of raw and unusual Black Metal.

URUK-HAI mix metal with industrial music.They don't have anything to do with black metal,so nothing more about it right here.

Limited to 333.Get it at members.aon.at/c.g. or www.ccprecords.com

Amahil

Kaiadas / The True Frost SPLIT 7"
Satanic Terror Productions, 2000

Side A of this split belongs to KAIADAS from Greece, who immediately set my soul on fire with the style that is so typical for their home country. 'Winterwar Memorial' also incorporates some nordic influences, but it's still full of the same kind of might and primitivity that makes bands like VARATHRON or NECROMANTIA such merciless forces.
THE TRUE FROST from Germany occupy side B, and 'Cyclical Manifestation Of Aeonics' can't quite keep up with the high standard of KAIADAS. It's not a bad song, but most of the riffs (there are quite a few…) don't really move me, and some breaks sound rather amateurish. I can listen to it from time to time because it's still quite atmospheric, but nothing here really stands out. Fans of greek BM should nevertheless buy this little piece of vinyl - the KAIADAS - part fuckin' kills and is surely worth the money.

EquimanthorN

Katharsis - 666
Sombre Records, 2001

I am usually rather sceptic when it comes to `kvlt` bands who limit their stuff to 200 copies (I actually own just a feeble CD-R copy of `666`), but in this case I soon turned to pure admiration after first hearing this masterpiece. KATHARSIS have nothing in common with the junk that is released by some certain underground heroes - this is filthy, but also technically versed stuff that takes only the rawest elements and merges them into 32 minutes of pure cruelty. Paralells can be drawn to early 90s-material as well as to purely chaotic acts like SADISTIK EXECUTION and BLASPHEMY, enriched with minor thrash influences which bring the best moments of hungarian TORMENTOR to my mind. Standout tracks for me would be `Raped By Demos` and `666` itself as both of them incorporate all the mentioned elements in the most soulraping way, but the other four songs reign supreme as well, even though they don`t reach the same level of pure insanity. The `production`here is perfect as well, keeping the balance between chaotic violence and transparency, and the vocal performance is hostile enough to push the music even further. Criticism can not be applied here - KATHARSIS stand far above 99% of the rest of this so called scene, be it for their music or because of the way they present themselves in an utterly extreme, serious and intellectual superior way. Let`s just hope that further outputs won`t be limited in such a strict way to avoid certain subhuman E-Gay actions...

EquimanthorN

Wind Of The Black Mountains - Force Fed Into Blasphemy 7"
Moribund Records, 1993

This 7" contains the title track plus ‚The Rite Of Darkness' (Bathory-Cover). Both songs also appear on the legendary ‚Sing Thou Unholy Servants'-album, and I strongly believe that the versions on both releases are absolutely identical - at least I couldn't hear any differences. The artwork looks rather shitty (B/W and probably xeroxed) and I also don't think that this piece of vinyl is really rare, as it's almost 10 years old and can still be obtained through many shops and mailorders. The music - of course - rules supreme, but I would advise you to get the whole album instead of just two songs. Recommended for die-hard vinyl collectors and those who are dying to see a pic of Tchort licking his girlfriend's cunt (the only good part of the artwork actually, hehe...).

EquimanthorN

Zemial - Necronolatry 12" EP
(limited to 666)
Iron Pegasus , 2001

Amongst all the pieces of vinyl I bought during the last few months this surely is the one I’m most proud of. Limited to 666 copies (and never to be released on CD...), it features 5 (?) songs which I dare to call essential for every BM maniac. Certainly not sounding like I expected it from a greek band (they actually moved to Australia a few years ago, but still...), the material comes across like a mixture of HELLHAMMER/CF/early BM in general and early 90s stuff (BURZUM and the likes). Some parts and especially the vocals also remind me of ABSU on their brilliant ‚Third Storm...‘ album - not exactly the most original mixture ever heard, but it certainly has its own feel to it and, even more important, it KICKS YOUR ASS till the rectum bleeds. The vileness, brutality and sheer blackness these songs evoke is simply unbelievable and loads my body with adrenaline every time I give them a spin (which has been quite often as one can probably imagine...). The impression of absolute greatness is completed by the dirty-as-hell production (four tracks as it was recorded as a demo at their rehearsal place, but razor-sharp and PERFECTLY fitting) and probably the best artwork Chris ‚Thorncross‘ Moyen has ever drawn. Pray to hell that you can still find a copy at some shabby record store or mailorder - this is just bound to become a cult classic very soon!

EquimanthorN

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Alastor - Graveyard Desecrations
Demo CDR, 2000

As their performance at the Austrian Black Metal Force blew me away I went through the usual ritual of storming the merchandise corner and buying their demo right after the gig was over. And, much to my pleasure, I wasn't disappointed even a little bit. Although their style is quite different to what I expected after first seeing the (now defunct) Homepage (with one of the guys wearing a BLASPHEMY-shirt and the latest demo called 'Anal Cult' with a fitting cover photo (!) I was ready for some grinding black massacre...) it still fuckin' kills, be it live or on CD. Semi-melodic Black/Death, mainly mid- and uptempo, with many breaks may be a good description, but unlike many other bands of said genre ALASTOR manage to keep things interesting with memorable melodic riffs and the occasional blast parts thrown in just at the right time - that's what I call mature songwriting! Another big plus are the vocals which are neither of the screechy kind nor typical death-growls, but rather follow the paths of Attila and Dead during their MAYHEM-times - quite outstanding and definitely a joy to hear in these times when almost every vocalist tries to be the second Abbath or Corpsegrinder. Well, losing any more words about this killer release is pretty useless, i guess... except for "BUY THIS, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT!" maybe...

Berthold Mayr
Fürling 19
A-4150 Rohrbach
Austria
alastor_necrodeath@hotmail.com

EquimanthorN

Amestigon - Remembering Ancient Origins
Demo CDR, 2000

After having been dropped by Napalm Records (like so many other good bands...) AMESTIGON finally returned with a self-financed MCD. This band was once founded by ex-ABIGOR members, and parallels to their former band can mainly be drawn in terms of atmosphere. The music itself is much simpler, basic and raw: mid- to uptempo, no keyboards and no ‚nice‘ riffs, just like the early-90s-stuff we all adore. The last spark of ingenuity is still missing (as is was on all their releases...) but the spirit is surely there - also due to the good and fitting sound, which is quite a surprise considering the fact that everything was recorded at the band’s rehearsal place. I still think that the split with Angizia contains their best material, but this is nevertheless a promising comeback and worth getting - which may be quite difficult as it’s limited to 100 copies.
Try contacting them at:

Amestigon
P.O. Box 173
A-2130 Mistelbach
Austria

EquimanthorN

Blasphemous - The Eternal Journey (Promo 95)
Demo tape, 1995

To avoid confusion: This is not the polish (NS?)BM band but a swedish outfit which is probably long time gone or has changed its name because I’ve never even heard of them before I bought this 3-track-tape. The music is like one would expect when thinking of Sweden-BM - quite melodic riffing and ultra-fast drums -, so nothing sensational can be found, but the atmosphere surrounding these songs actually makes up for the lack of originality. Production is muddy (but still powerful!), the volume level of the tape is very low and artwork or a booklet don’t really exist, but I’d still prefer this over newer MARDUK or DARK FUNERAL any time - maybe it’s just my personal impression, but I think something like ‚feeling‘ got lost in the swedish scene during the last few years...

EquimanthorN

Blood Vengeance - End All Life
Demo Tape, 2002

I bought this tape after meeting the guys at the UTBS (they are :corvus:' comrades) and hearing of their BLASPHEMY/CONQUEROR - fetish, and I surely wasn't disappointed even though those influences don't shine through as much as I expected.
Their BM actually sounds quite thrashy, but there are also enough chaotic parts - a combination which often reminds me of this certain feeling some well-known South American cult acts are able to create. Some parts even resemble blacker version of ORDER FROM CHAOS (minus their complex vocal lines which are a bit too straight here for my taste), but more 2nd-wave-BM influences can be found too so the music is far from being just a tribute to some 80s-legends.
The last song 'Blow The Goat' even starts with a quite 'rocking' rhyhthm before moving to some high speed chaos - a fitting ending for a very good debut tape which also comes in a very harsh packaging - I won't tell too much about that here though, just order and see for yourself....

goathammer@uboot.com

EquimanthorN

Christ Inzest - Dismembered Divinity
Demo CDR, 2001

CHRIST INZEST was founded in the beginning of 2001. In Novemeber 2001 "Dismembered Divinity" was recorded in a studio.. the band describes it's own music as simple, pirmitive black metal which is completely true! The 8 track CD (+hidden track) is starting with a keyboard intro, but this melodic sound is useless, I think, because the rest of the album is raw, primitve and brutal. So why start with a Cradle of Filth-like keyboard intro?! The songs first seem to be very chaotic... the drums hunt the guitars through the whole CD, to see who's faster, I suppose.I like the bass because it's moving like an earthquake in nearly every song! So all in all: Satanic-apocalyptic music!!!
The band wants to release the next album/demo next year. They said it will be more varied and more "technical", which are the two main minus-points of "Dismembered Divinity". It's monotonous, so it's for those people who want to headbang the whole day, till death.That's not negative, no, but those who like music with more interesting soundstructures etc. have to wait for the next release, I think... Satanic anti-commerce black metalheads will love that one!

Get it here:

Zorn
Westring 122/16
A-5204
Straßwalchen
AUSTRIA

The website is coming soon!

Amahil

Dark Frost - Todes Gebete
Demo CDR, 2002

Another young one-man band from Austria released its first release these days and managed to surprise me with... nothing, to be honest.
The sound is a mixture of three instruments (unfortunately no bass guitar), which aren't connected to each other. The guitar can't keep the tempo of the drums (drumcomputer?). The vocals are not on the same level with the rest of the instruments. The lyrics weren't written with a big effort and are very simple.
The present lack of good BM music (in Austria) shows that the "bands" follow a "true cold black metal"-cliché which nowadays (!) means: do NOT Play music from your heart, do NOT overtop yourself, do NOT invent the existing form of BM and do NOT learn to play the instruments correctly! This (idiotic) system fits to this band as well as to other ones,so,I'm not sure if there's someone who is interested in playing good music..?!
Sorry DARK FROST: no plus points.Why not wait some more time and do better music?!

www.8ung.at/darkfrost

Amahil

Descending Darkness - Gevatter Hein
Demo Tape, 2002

I usually don’t like using superlatives, but I don’t hesitate to say that this has to be one of the most extreme BM releases ever made. Forget all those pussy bands bragging about their cold&hateful music - this is the real deal! Totally distorted&ugly vocals, an insanely dirty sound (Yet every instrument can be clearly heard!) and VERY effective riffs in the vein of early BATHORY, VON, PROFANATICA and maybe BURZUM are combined in the most devastating way, and there’s even room for some original songwriting ideas, something which can rarely be found on recordings of such a primitive kind. The raw intensity that can be found here often reminds me of immortal classics like GORGOROTH’s ‚Under The Sign Of Hell‘ in terms of style AND quality - listening to those 8 tracks sends a constant stream of adrenaline through my body and creates the sickest images in my mind. I have to give out a warning though as the insane ‚production‘ may scare off some listeners (especially the totally overdriven drums may be hard to digest), but besides that ‚Gevatter Hein‘ is one of the best demos ever to appear in the austrian underground and I can hardly wait for their next effort and on-stage appearances. Unfortunately this tape is sold out at the moment, but you can still try and contact them for further information:

www.descending-darkness.cjb.net

EquimanthorN

Exorial - Totendämmerung
Tape, 1998

This is the first release of the one-man band from Germany! It's a good combination of samples from more or less known movies and dark and fast Black Metal! Although there is a bigger difference between this Tape and the other CDs I couldn't find any negative aspects on this tape! For all of those who are used to the other EXORIAL stuff: this tape will NOT disappoint you! It's even more worth than 5€ ! Buy it if you like rough Black Metal! Just check out the other reviews of EXORIAL!

http://welcome.to/exorial

Amahil

Exorial - Licht Und Finsternis
Demo CDR, 1999

Asmodeus,the man behind the music, has earned my respect with this gigantic selfproduced CD. Starting with a fight scene this "Demo" (I'm not sure if you can call it a "Demo"! It's far too good!) creates and destroys with every song a new Anti-Life, that's what came to my mind! EXORIAL plays this sort of music which can only be heard really loud. It's an impressive sound which really can be compared to the old BURZUM stuff, especially because of the atmosphere. For those who still don't know exorial's music and especially the voice, just two words: BRUTAL&MIGHTY! It's simply what is called "evil" mixed with a high quality. He just knows how to play the instruments the way most of you love to hear! Hard to say something more detailed.. except that the layout is well done! So if you like creative, surprising, really dark, mid- and fast tempo Black Metal, you will love this one!

http://welcome.to/exorial

Amahil

Exorial - Offenbarung
Demo CDR, 2000

Offenbarung (Revelation) is another great 12 track CD of EXORIAL. Compared to "Licht und Finsternis" it's not that fast, but without losing any strength. The title speaks for itself. EXORIAL deals with the biblical end of this world. As you can imagine Asmodeus (Yes! It's a one-man band!) is looking forward to this destruction,so expect only raw Black Metal!! 3 Songs are from the "Totendämmerung" Tape (re-mixed) and one from the "Licht und Finsternis" CD (re-recorded), which were chosen well! To get further information about EXORIAL read the other reviews! I don't want to repeat myself too often. So why wait?! Buy it!!

http://welcome.to/exorial

Amahil

Exorial / Kälte - Die Zusammenkunft SPLIT
Demo CDR, 2002

EXORIAL is a german one-man-band. Asmodeus (doesn't have anything to do with the Austrian BM Band!) plays all instruments,and this Split CD is his 4th release. KÄLTE have recorded two other records before this CD and also come from Germany. Both bands play two songs from their repertoire.
EXORIAL plays Black Metal in a rough way, comparable to some BURZUM songs.The vocals are very extreme but fit very good to the fast drums and simple guitar riffs. The experiences of the other releases create a self-confident unique sound mixed with a very dark atmosphere. The second song starts with a long prelude, lead by the guitar.It's somehow comparable to BURZUM's "Dunkelheit". The vocals are louder and the creative song structure offers an aggressive sound. Both songs were recorded in 2002, so I'm curious about the older releases! It's simply damn good Black Metal which Asmodeus calls "misanthropische Kunst" (misanthropic art).
KÄLTE play slow and very simple Black Metal with a screaming voice and repeated guitar riffs. The second song starts with an unexpected keyboard intro followed by the slow rhythm of the guitar and the drums.There is more movement in the second song which ends in destruction! The recording quality isn't as good as at the EXORIAL part and the vocals are too quiet.But these are the only negative aspects I can see, besides the "monotonous" sound of the first song.
Send 5 Euro to one of the bands because it's not available at any mailorder! The CD is limited to 50 copies! The booklet is done quite simple,with b/w graphics and you get the lyrics in a very... exclusive way!

http://welcome.to/exorial
http://members.odinsrage.com/kaelte

Amahil

Exorial - Reflektionen Auf Leben Und Tod
Demo CDR, 2002

Some might ask,why I'm writing now the fifth review of "just another" EXORIAL CD. The answer is quite simple! This guy deserves to be presented here, because EXORIAL is black metal of the higher class! Asmodeus created once again a fantastic atmosphere, lead by the fast guitars and the (hopefully) well known rough vocals! The drummachine is programmed with a higher precision and the fast parts are much faster. To me, they sound like Asmodeus didn't try to let them run as "natural" and original as possible, but to create this fabulous intensity with them. Once again, trance effects are included so some might find connections to bands like BURZUM again.
The lyrics deal with the never ending philosphic subject "Life and Death". There are several different ways to think about it, and some of them are presented on this CD through poetic words, partly inspired by Charles Bandelaire.
Due to lack of money the CD is recorded again on a 4 track recorder .I sometimes wish to listen this album in a better sound because the instruments "overload" sometimes the songs, which could have been adjusted in a professional studio. Nevertheless, the music itself is fucking strong, don't forget that!
The artwork is brilliant! All lyrics are printed. Two old songs are re-recorded and, combined with the three instrumental songs, there are nine great tracks on this self-produced CD, which is one of the very best CDs I own! This CD will also be released at Sombre Records on vinyl with a completely different artwork!

www.exorial.net

Amahil

Fortiis - s/t
Demo CDR, Svarte Troner Productions, 2002

I got this one as a promo and actually wasn`t really impressed at first listen as it sounded just like another worthless TH-copy, but after a few more spins I finally became aware of the greatness
that`s hidden within these three songs. Originality can`t really be found as the concept of the aforementioned album is basically just adopted with a more mid-tempo approach, adding some breaks now and then, but that actually doesn`t matter too much in this case as the riffs sound VERY inspired and emotionally gifted, as well as the vocals which aren`t really special either, but still spew forth agony and hatred in an absolutely convincing way. The artificial drums and constant tape hissing can sometimes become annoying, but still the songs are of such coherence that I easily get carried away by them, even though the whole affair lasts for little more than 13 minutes - I guess this should be enough proof for the quality of this raw gem.

www.svartetroner.com

EquimanthorN

Forvengarth - Dunkelreich
Demo CDR, 2002

More and more bands want to turn back the time and bring the black metal sound of the 90s back to earth, some with success, some…well.
This demo may lead to some confusion, because there’s a high potential of aggression, mainly produced by the extremely distorted vocals. But I’m missing the energy in the guitar riffs. They are so simple that I have to delete them on my mind and concentrate on the drum computer and on the voice. It’s a bit disappointing!
The song “Dunkelreich” sounds like Wernulf (yes,another solo project!) is having problems with keeping the tempo. The idea behind this drum-guitare mixture is clear but it’s played bad.
Hard to say how Forvengarth will develop! Wernulf is currently working on the new demo. I hope he will keep his good ideas and play them as they should sound!
The lyrics are written in german language. The booklet is done quite good! The CD is limited to 20 copies.

http://www.forvengarth.at.tt

Amahil

Grimthorn's Forest - Same
Demo CDR/Tape, DMS Prod., 2000

"Grimthorn's Forest" is the first release(Demo) of Count Grimthorn (known from Vobiscum,..) and also the first part in his trilogy.The CD/Tape offers raw Black Metal compressed about 25 minutes. Count Grimthorn plays all instruments in hellish speed and sometimes in a very chaotic way. In contrast there are some calm pieces (also Intro+Outro). Most of the time the vocals are very raw (they are often compared to Varg Vikernes'!), but once again contrast is very clear because these harsh vocals are mixed with often whispered and even clear, sung vocals! The Lyrics can only be read in the tape (not in the CD) and on the Homepage.Count Grimthorn describes the creation of the "Grim" creatures and the feelings and impressions in a forest. The sound underlines the pure-evil guitars, vocals, drums and even flutes, but sometimes the really well-done drums are far too quiet.All in all it's produced quite well. The CD has a "secret message" written under the inlay and the booklet of the tape has all lyrics and every information you need for this record. These 6 songs make clear that good music doesn't need high-tech equipment! Grimthorn's Forest is exactly what's written in the inlay: True Austrian Black Metal,is it should be!!

http://members.aon.at/c.g.

Amahil

Lightning Strikes Twice - Enemy Area
Demo Tape, 2001

LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE is another Austrian Band. There are only two members (Daniel Polsinger and Andreas Schober); Jannis (of Necrowinter) plays the Synths on "And all..". Daniel Polsinger also plays in the band EXTERIOR and writes for the austrian Webzine GRAVEYARD. On the "As the sky turns black 2" Sampler I heard one song of the band and after some time I got the last tape(limited to 10) of the demo.Everyone who is interested in the "Underground Scene" of Austria should buy this sampler! Everything from Grind to Black Metal can be found on it!
The Demo starts with a damn good intro,which spreads a very dark atmosphere.The first song is very brutal and fast. But it soon gets boring to listen to the next two songs (8 and 7:24 minutes long!).The riffs are repeated all the time,which isn't the best if you play very very slow music.The vocals are extreme and some effects seem to wake me up. Even the last two songs don't offer a single change in the music. Daniel once said that the new material sounds different from this tape.This sounds very interesting to me because the only negative aspect is that the slow music is totally destroyed by the simple and boring guitar riffs! The Lyrics are printed in the 3-side booklet.

chainsawservice@gmx.at

Get the "As The Sky Turns Black" Sampler and other stuff at
graveyardfuck.cjb.net

Amahil

Lightning Strikes Twice - The Tormenting Times
Demo CDR, 2002

LST did what I didn’t expect after the first demo (review is online!): They learned how to play the dangerous mixture of Doom-, Black- and Death Metal in a very powerful way! No boring riffs and simple song structures - these two guys manage to bring the dark and melancholic lyrics in a shape of interesting and creative music art! The songs are quite long but the great song structure keeps the energy 'held together' in the song! There are hidden surprises because of the detailed mix. It’s one of the strongest underground albums in Austria at the moment, if not the strongest! All lyrics are listed in the b/w booklet. This album contains 8 songs; the last one is the DARKTHRONE cover “Transylvanian Hunger”. Okay,the idea of covering DAKRTHRONE is getting boring after some time, but as long as it’s played like LST do, it’s no fault!
There aren’t many bands out there which are engaged like this one (check out the other bands of Polsi and Andi!!)! Support it!
The price (7€; outside austria: 8€) is fair! Enjoy!

http://www.lstrikes2.cjb.net

Amahil

Mordrak - Schwarzheim
Demo CDR, 2002

MORDRAK is a band from Germany which really surprised me with this impressive demo.The sound quality is very good and - in comparison to other young bands - the ambition to release a good demo lead to the high quality standard. Although MORDRAK has a quite short past, these guys really know how to play their instruments and create interesting song-structures with a lot of changes within a song! The guitar riffs - once again - are orientated on 'trance effects', somehow comparable to Norwegian bands (from the past). The unhuman slaughter of the drums shows that the musicians have the possibility to experiment with the music. I think label bands don't have so much freedom, haven't they? Seeing this release not as a demo but more as a full-length album is risky because some small faults can be found. But the fact that it was recorded in a professional studio AND the ability to write good music is offered may lead to the idea that it's not a demo or even the first demo! 'Schwarzheim' is a great start for MORDRAK and I hope more supporters will be found!

http://www.mordrak.de.vu

Amahil

Odal - Germansk
Demo tape, 2002

A short intro including wind and howling wolves, and we're