The Frost - 2005 - In Conspiracy With Nature

Out of Croatia comes this one man Black Metal band with a first demo. The music presented on these three tracks is slow to mid-paced, and at times even slightly melodic, Black Metal. Musically this reminds me of Long Voyage Back, Shining, Armagedda and Blodulv. A drum machine is utilized here, but it doesn't sound as bad as the average drum machine does.

The vocals sound like a mix of Graav of Armagedda, Erik of Watain and those of Grendel in Blodulv and are really well done, aggressive and angry, just as it should be.

The quality of the recording is really quite good, with a clear and full sound. This does not sound like an average demo recording, but rather as a professional album recording. Very impressive. I would strongly urge you to buy this demo. Limited to 120 copies.

Standout track is without a doubt the extremely good "...Where the Wolves Path Lead" with

its sound of the '90ies.

Saturday June 4 2005, by :Vragh:

Satanic Death - 2004 - Black Mass

From Argentina comes this Black Metal horde. Just recently they released their second demo containing four tracks. Presented here are three tracks of thrashing, mostly mid-paced Black Metal with blastbeats, and an outro.

Musically there are traces of Ophthalamia and early Marduk, with lots of Blodulv like riffing in it. Throw in a few guitar solos for good measure as well and you have Satanic Death. This sounds like very early '90ies Black Metal with a chaotic twist to it all.

The vocals are similar to early Marduk as well, being just a bit more guttural and with a bit more echo to them. The soundquality here is not at all bad. Something to get, I would say.

Standout tracks are "Demonic Chronicles" and "Sadistic Ritual".

Monday January 10 2005, by :Vragh:

Necrovomitör - 2005 - Vomit Porn Satan

Out of Finland comes this thrashing Black Metal band with their first five track demo. Mid-paced Black Metal, in the vein of Dødheimsgard's Monumental Possession is what we get here, which basically describes it all. Even slightly groovy, at times.

The vocals remind me of those done by Aldrahn on Monumental Possession and those by Grendel of
Blodulv with some slight Satyr of Satyricon at times.

The production is harsh and a bit chaotic, which fits the music perfectly. What you hear in the mix is mostly the filthy sounding guitar, the vocals and the drums. There's just such an amazing raw power and aggression to this demo. My only complaint is that the demo feels a bit short. Limited to 150 copies.

Standout tracks are "Genuine Crackwhore Mutilation" and "Rotten Corpses in Vogue".

Saturday June 4 2005, by :Vragh:

Mord - 2004 - Morde

Out of Germany comes this Black Metal act, featuring members of Zorn in the ranks. Six scathing hymns of mid-paced to fast hatefilled Black Metal, mostly reminiscent of Blodulv, but also early Ulver, Ildjarn because of the often rather repetitive riffing, and Borknagar. The tracks are rather long, averaging 8 minutes.

The vocals are raw, somewhat in the vein of those by Grendel in Blodulv, those by Garm on the first Borknagar album, mainly because of the drawn out screams, and of Dead of Mayhem, sounding at times like those by Dead on the Live in Leipzig album. Sabnock also does the vocals in Zorn.

The soundquality on this recording is harsh, but not too unclear. This does remind me of Ildjarn as well, but the earlier days, when he had a bit clearer soundquality on his releases. The drums are a bit towards the back in the mix, along with the bass. This is filthy Black Metal, as it should be!

Standout tracks are "In the Forest of Dead Souls" and "Necrophage".

Monday November 27 2006, by :Vragh:

Grond - 2005 - Grond

Out of Sweden comes this one man Black Metal band with a first demo. Presented on this demo are four tracks of mostly mid-paced Black Metal, including a cover of Darkthrone's "Unholy Black Metal". The material presented here mostly remind me of a mix of Blodulv and Darkthrone's Under a Funeral Moon, with guitar solos, whichgives it all a nice, dark mood. Very interesting. The vocals
sound a bit like Nocturno Cultos on the older Darkthrone albums, but more desperate.

The sound on this recording is slightly murky, but still clear,somehow. The drum machine is a bit too much in the foreground, which at times can be distracting, but otherwise there is nothing to complain about here. Good material, great feeling and a killer guitarsound.

Standout tracks are "Crucifucked" and "Helig Slakt".

Monday May 9 2005, by :Vragh:

Goatvomit666 - 2003 - Demo

British act Goatvomit666 have released their, as far as I know, first demo. They play slow, doomy Death/Black Metal, and we are presented with 5 tracks on this demo. I really like this. They have a somewhat murky production that puts the bass quite a lot in the foreground, which fits the music nicely, and at times they also have some serious groove in their music.

The vocals are handled well too, classic Black Metal vocals, but with a nice edge to them. The track "The Fall of Heaven" actually reminds me of Blodulv, but without the drum machine. The track "The Fall of Heaven" reminds me strangely enough of a track by Lumsk, despite the fact that their music sounds nothing like them.

The only thing I can complain about here is the fact that they have an intro, a Sodom cover ("Blasphemer / Burst Command til War") and an outro, which leaves us with only 2 tracks of their own material. I would really have liked to hear more. At the time of writing they are on their way to record a second demo.

Sunday February 15 2004, by :Vragh:

Exetheris - 2005 - A Night of Pain

Out of Greece comes yet another one man Black Metal project. For some reason there seems to be a thriving scene there. We are presented with 7 tracks of mid-paced to fast minimalistic Black Metal, with a drum machine. Musically this reminds me mostly of Striborg and somewhat of Xasthur and Blodulv.

The vocals are very similar to those by Grendel of Blodulv. Quite distorted and hatefilled.

The soundquality is quite ok, and all the instruments can be heard in the mix, but the drum machine is a bit too prominent, and could have been done a bit better, in my opinion. There are some really weird noises in some of the tracks here, which makes for an interesting listen. There is a fullength in the works, as I'm writing this.

Standout tracks are "Vinternatt", "Dying Wish" and "Ave Satana".

Saturday October 21 2006, by :Vragh:

Blodulv - 2003 - Blodulv

Yet another Swedish band with a drum machine. What tends to annoy me, among other things,
with drum machines is the fact that the percussions sound exactly the same all the time, which just doesn't sound right, and at times the percussions on this album are indeed a bit annoying. Nevertheless this album is actually quite good. The guitarsound is very aggressive and the production is very good.

The music is midpaced with faster parts, actually sounding quite a lot like Norwegian Black Metal of the mid 90ies, somewhat in the vein of earlier Gorgoroth, but with a Swedish Black Metal twist to it.
The vocals are nicely distorted, reminding me a bit of Gaahl, but not sounding quite as full. This is their first album, but there's already a second album out, so they are quite productive.

Standout tracks are "Regulus - Peacemaker" and "Waffen Blodulv".

Sunday June 6 2004, by :Vragh: