Spektr - 2004 - Et Fugit Interea Fugit Irreparabile Tempus

Out of France comes this horde consisting of members from Haemoth and Battlehorns. On this their first album we are presented with eight tracks of industrial tinged mostly fast Black Metal, intense and unlike most others. This is quite an impressive first release.

Musically this is a bit similar to ideas from 666 International era Dødheimsgard in structure, but taken many steps further, with some parts Thorns added. I am also reminded of Gaahlskagg's Erotic Funeral, but that is mainly due to the intensity and the sound on this recording. Samples are used extensively throughout the album, and here are also parts sounding like soundtrack music. It is quite a
varied album, composition wise, with crushing speed and aggression one minute, which then flows into calmer parts and then gets back to crushing your bones once again.

The vocals remind me quite a lot of Ildjarn, with a hint of Filosofem era Burzum, earlier Immortal and some early Gorgoroth as well, for good measure.

The soundquality on this album is very sharp and clear. Everything seems to be on the same level here, the guitars with their sharp, lethal sound, the crushing drums and the possessed vocals form a wall of sound where you can still hear the details. This is an album where you're not entirely sure what's coming next. Most excellent! This is an album that works best if you play it from start to finish. This is among the elite bands, along with such acts as Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist
and Glorior Belli. Very highly recommended!

Standout tracks are "Reveal the Four Seals", "A Return to the Flesh", "Wizened Hand" and "Confusion/The Persistence (Ending Contakt)".

Wednesday October 15 2008, by :Vragh:

Pyre - 2005 - Behold a Pale Horse

American Black Metal band Pyre offers us their first official release. Chaotic mid-paced, but mostly fast, slightly thrashing Black Metal is what we are presented with on this album. Musically I find a few De Mysteriis era Mayhem in some of the tracks, and some Ildjarn moments, in others. Judas Iscariot is something I hear in this too, as well as some very Thorns sounding basslines. Very interesting. A cover of Darkthrone's "En Vind av Sorg" is presented here, which they do rather well
I must say, considering that they're doing it in Norwegian!

The vocals sound a bit like those by Akhenaten of Judas Iscariot, mixed with Nocturno Culto, Maniac and, at times, Attila of Mayhem. Quite an interesting mix to hear.

The production is slightly murky and the bass is a bit unclear, which leads to a somewhat chaotic sound, as stated earlier, but this is something you get used to quickly. The production reminds me somewhat of Gorgoroth for some reason. Over all I must say that this is an album that shows a band with great potential. Well worth checking out, and don't forget to keep an eye on this band in the future.

Standout tracks are "The Torrents of Thamuz", "Devil Pig" (No, actually not a Von cover), "Ten and Forty Centuries" and "Behold a Pale Horse".

Friday December 2 2005, by :Vragh:

Incursus - 2005 - Incursus 7"

American Black Metal act Incursus has released their first 7", containing two tracks plus an intro and an outro. Quite good, fast Black Metal is what we get on this black vinyl.

The mostly snarled vocals remind me of mostly of Spectre of Vultyr, with hints of a less highpitched
Maniac of Mayhem, Cerastes of Mysticum and Wrest of Leviathan (US).

The music reminds me of Vultyr and early Emperor with a bit of Thorns thrown in here and there.
This sounds like Norwegian Black Metal with a twist of USBM thrown in. Not bad!

The soundquality is slightly muffled, with a strangely bass oriented sound with a lot of treble in the
guitars. The drums are present, but a bit unclear and a bit at the back of the mix, with the vocals at the front and guitar in between. The bass is given a bit more space than is usually the case in Black Metal.

This is well above average Black Metal with a few surprises along the way. Of the two tracks "Black Burial" was the one that stood out slightly more. My only complaint with this release is that it was not a fullength. This is a band I will keep an eye on, for sure. Well worth checking out!

Wednesday October 15 2008, by :Vragh:

Furze - 2003 - Necromanzee Cogent

Necromanzee Cogent is Norwegian one-man-band Furze's first fullength album. This is a very interesting album indeed, many an odd influence has found its way into the music of Furze. What strikes me as very surprising, and very interesting is the heavy Black Sabbath influence that shows up at times. In fact the entire second track, "For the Lust of Darkness", is built on Ozzy era Black Sabbath-esque guitarwork. The track following this, "Dødsrikets Fremtred", could very well have been recorded by Darkthrone during their Under a Funeral Moon era. Apart from these influences there are also some Abruptum and early Thorns in this album.

As you probably have guessed by now, this is not fast necro Black Metal, but rather slow, doomy avantgarde Black Metal with some faster and actually even some groovy parts. I must say this is one of the more interesting releases in quite a while. The vocals vary quite a bit, everything from screaming to traditional Black Metal vocals and also whispers, are utilized. Of the 7 tracks on this album, only one is under 6 minutes,and the last track clocks in at 23 minutes.

Sunday February 8 2004, by :Vragh: