Valaskjalf/Hrodvitnir - 2005 - Under the Ban ner of Vinlandic Heathen Might

Presented on this split effort are two American NS Black Metal bands. Each band contributes with four tracks.

Valaskjalf presents us with Black Metal ranging from slow to mid-paced, slightly melodic Black Metal in the vein of the real early '90ies bands, but with a melancholic sound rarely found. I find both Kvist, Beherit and Root influences here. Also presented on this release is a cover of Hellhammer's classic track "Euronymous".

The vocals mostly sound like a more guttural version of those done by Legion of Marduk and also somewhat like those done by Akhenaten of Judas Iscariot and Quorthon.

The soundquality is quite good, with all the instruments being audible in the mix.

Standout tracks are "Grove of the Neoliths" and  "Black Forest".

Hrodvitnir play a mid-paced to fast, more Viking / Folk themed Black Metal, and is the band I liked best on this release. Musically this sounds like a mix of Falkenbach and amore Black Metal oriented version of Borknagar, with vocals that mostly remind me of those done by Garm on the first Borknagar album. Some traces of Wyrd are also present in the overall sound here.

The soundquality on these four tracks varies a bit, which I found to be slightly annoying. You can hear the instruments and all, but the two last tracks have a murky, slightly distant sound to them, and the volume is lower.

Standout tracks are "Dawn of a New Aryan Empire" and "Hrodvitnir (The Wolf Unleashed)".

Quite a good split album, actually, with both bands being quite able to handle their instruments. This release is limited to 500 copies.

Friday December 2 2005, by :Vragh:

Behead Christ - 2005 - Do You Want Our Blood??!!!

This is the second release by this Chilean Avantgarde Black Metal band, which collects their three demo efforts on one disc. The music here is slow to mid-paced, and as interesting as their fullength. Similarities to Fleurety, Ved Buens Ende..., Ophthalamia and early Beherit are very much present here.

The vocals are made up of two voices, one whispering and screaming, one being abit more theatrical and at times talking. The vocals remind me a lot of those on Beherit's Drawing Down the Moon album. The vocals add great power to the music, giving it a rather creepy atmosphere.

The soundquality is very good for being a collection of demo recordings, I must say. The drums are a bit unclear, perhaps, but that is nothing that is annoying. None of the tracks here appear on the fullength. If you want something out of the ordinary this comes very highly recommended!

Standout tracks are "Nosotros La Sombra del Mundo" and "Voces Aclaman Silencio".

Saturday October 21 2006, by :Vragh:

Ambiguitas - 2003 - Time of Goat

Out of Russia comes this Black Metal horde, delivering 9 tracks of Black Metal ranging from slow
to mid-paced to fast, plus an intro. The music here reminds me quite a lot of earlier Beherit and
Stiny Plamenu, with some Skaur and Ulver sounding acoustic parts and a good dose classic heavy
metal here and there, with that special eastern European sound to it. This sounds quite refreshing.

The vocals sound like a mix of Under a Funeral Moon era Nocturno Culto and Satyr around the
Megiddo MCD. They also remind me of the vocals by Lord Therramon of Dom Dracul.

As mentioned earlier, a drum machine is utilized, but not in a too annoying way. The production is actually quite good, and all the instruments can be heard clearly. The guitar sound is a bit different, quite metallic, with a sharp and icy edge to it. The production reminds me mostly of that found on later Striborg releases. This is a fullength released as a CD-r in limited quantities, so act fast.

Standout tracks are "Through the Decrepit Eaves", "Do Arise the Blood from the Ice", "Just Hate" and the eleven minute final track "Equinox Autumn".

Thursday November 15 2007, by :Vragh:

....Aaaarrghh.... - 2004 - Ruhlar Fisildiyor

Here we have the second demo by this Turkish Black Metal horde, consisting of eight tracks. The band has progressed a bit in the five years since their last demo, I must say. The traces of Beherit are mostly gone, the music is faster and reminds me of Von and Dark Funeral, with some Death Metal in it.

The vocals remind me of Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone and Graav of Armagedda, around Panzerfaust and The Final War Approaching respectively, but they are more in the back of the mix here, than on their previous effort.

The soundquality has been improved since the previous release, which is both good and bad. Personally, I prefer the murkier sound of their first demo, but that's because I thought that gave their music an extra edge. The drums are more towards the front of the mix on this release, which the vocals suffer a bit from.

Standout tracks are "Kara Doda", "Sinsi Karanlyk" and "Ebedi Yalnyzlyk".

Saturday October 21 2006, by :Vragh:

....Aaaarrghh.... - 1999 - Demo 1999

Out of Turkey comes this Black Metal horde, and this is their first demo, when they still played under the name Sagansara. What is presented here are five tracks of above par mostly slower to midpaced Black Metal with the occasional blast beats. This reminds me mainly of Beherit's excellent Drawing Down the Moon album, as well as of Behead Christ at times. Really nice, this. A sound of the early '90ies that you rarely hear these days.

The vocals also remind me to a certain extent of Beherit, but also of those by Graav on the first Armagedda album and somewhat of Attila's vocals on Tormentor's Anno Domini. Most excellent!

The soundquality is somewhat towards the murkier side, but not too much. The bass is perhaps a bit blurry at times, but other than that there is nothing to complain about the sound here. There is a really dark atmosphere to this, and I must say I like it.

Standout tracks are "Gecenin Golgesi" and "Fyrtyna Yaklasyyor".

Saturday October 21 2006, by :Vragh: