Moonblood - Blut und Krieg (1996) Review

Country | Germany
Genre | Black Metal
Label | Majestic Union
Dynamic range | DR8

| Under the forests, the mountains |

Perhaps one of the most respected names in underground black metal, through hard work and many releases, with a firm stance for over a decade, they carved out their own name in the history of the scene. No other than the infamous Moonblood, the German act of Occulta Mors and Gaamalzagoth, still continues to have a strong impact even after they disbanded in 2004. Blut Und Krieg is their maiden full length album after many rehearsals and demos, originally released on cassette and later re-released by many companies in all physical forms possible that's it's now hard to recognize originals from zine / label copies. The originals, adopted by Moonblood themselves, were only cassettes and vinyls, since "CD versions were very easily accessible by everyone". This band is my own personal favorite, and the very first I heard of black metal. Maybe a little unorthodox beginning, but I am glad that I have discovered them.

True to the essence of unclean production, the band does not spend time perfecting their sound in the studio, with a purpose to create something totally primitive. Every instrument is audible and that's satisfying, but the mixing and mastering seems incomplete. Many fans have this band as a comparing standard when talking about how raw a different band sounds, but it's distinguishable and completely epic from the start to the end, don't think that it's noisy and unlistenable. The musicianship does not consist of instrument machines and there is no shredding anywhere, both members possess the vision and the talent to compose great songs of accurate lines, and not necessarily complex or difficult.

The album starts with an atmospheric introduction with interesting samples and a church bell . It takes less than a minute, but it is more than enough to create the right, dim and dull atmosphere. First track "In a Bloody Night of Full Moon" enters at medium speed , with simple riffs and drums, based on a melody of a synth and it's pretty epic. It can be compared with "Det Som En Gang Var" by Burzum, having the familiar style of Moonblood and quite good for the first track on the disc. The second track is called "Shadows" and it is relatively fast and more "uplifting", as in the introduction there is a 80s heavy metal riff with solid screaming, later including a good tremolo melody. The drums are faster and closer to the style of the genre than in the previous track. The "... And The Snow Covered The Lifeless Bodies" begins with a cold melody, which compulsively creeps up the main part of the piece, having nice guitar lines. It keeps a constant rate and no major changes during it's nine minutes of length.

The next track is called "My Evil Soul" and it's a track from a previous rehearsal they had recorded, one of the strongest tracks on the album . It's faster and more direct than the rest, the combination of orchestration and unearthly voice creates an awesome effect. The title track begins with a melody similar to "... And The Snow ..." and slows the album down again, as a nostalgic synth line shows itself. The "Kingdom of Forgotten Dreams", has interesting riffs and works as a standard Moonblood track. Then, "Under the Cold Fullmoon" is an amazing track. It combines slow-moving melodies with epic moments , all instruments perfectly coexist and the voice is incredible. The last track "I Am All" follows the footsteps of the previous one, with the same duration and intensity. The album closes with a two-minute outro, consisting of keyboards and vocals, without being anything special .

As a whole , the album is very good , and it has dedicated to one attention and time. The particular production is this that makes the assembly stand , which is quite dirty, but without burying a component of music. The vocals are a little louder than they should be throughout the disc, but not to a point that they ruin the result. Even though a full length might be irrelevant with these guys, since the production and sound of their albums is very similar to the demo recordings (anything cleaner is of no need), it's good to have some specific points of reference. Blut Und Krieg is such an album for this band so if you want to get into them but you're confused with the large number of rehearsals, demos, splits etc.. Start from here! Great band with a great admiration of their own spirit.

DAMAGE: 8.25/10

Archgoat - Whore of Bethlehem (2006) Review

Country | Finland
Genre | Black / Death Metal
Label | Osmose Productions
Dynamic range | DR9

| Against all white light |

Each genre and sub genre is characterized by a couple of breakthrough bands that first started with that particular music, motivating many others with their albums. In a way, ungraceful black / death metal is not an established subcategory (as symphonic black metal for example) but there is a whole scene based around it, starting back in the early nineties. Now, it's true that most of the bands in there are nothing more than whining drunks with a very immature and easy to go touch in their stuff, which consists of a lot of swearing, genitalia and upside down crosses. Tell me when I have to get scared.

One of these milestone bands for this genre are indeed Archgoat. Despite having very few releases and only some years activity in 1989-1993, it seems to be one of the major influences around here. Coming back from the dead in 2005, Whore of Bethlehem is in fact the debut full length album by the band. I would be happy with a trve kvlt record in 1992-1994 because it would surely be worshiped later on, but hey, it's never too late. So, what do we have to expect from the first full album by Archgoat? Not much have changed and it should stay that way, with the dudes focusing on pure madness and bestiality for about thirty five minutes. If you have heard their first EP Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration) and loved it, with a silent wish of a longer record in the back of your mind, this is for you. After a nonsense MCD in 2005 which almost buried them alive, they pick things up right from where they left them in 1993 and put out a -by all means- solid record.

Of course, the genre is somehow doomed to mediocrity inside it's own borders, since bands like these never demonstrate something unique or fascinating musically. I doubt they give a damn about it either, since the sole purpose is to be ugly and attacking, so every bands that succeeds that can be considered "good" by me. I don't have a lot of complaints about Whore of Bethlehem, as it balances nicely between pure blasphemy and musical structure, without giving emphasis on one of the two alone. The same ingredients are used once more, from the filthy black / death riffs, to the monstrous vocals and the hard hitting drums, as well as a steady bass sound, is the alpha and the omega for the band. The sound of the album is low pitched and scourging, lacking variety for it's own good. The old but adored church bells and synths are included in a couple of songs, like in "Dawn of the Black Light.

It's not creative or rich, but it feels great to listen to. It's typical Archgoat but in a larger proportion, dressed in a dusty and hostile production, putting it right in every playlist, when you feel like sacrificing goats in the name of Lucifer, while cursing religion in any way possible. You are not going to fall apart from it's sheer musical genius, but surely it has the needed brutality and rawness.

DAMAGE: 7.25/10

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Archgoat - Angelslaying Black Fucking Metal (EP, 2005) Review

Country | Finland
Genre | Black / Death Metal

Label | Hammer of Hate Records
Dynamic range | DR7

 With a few short releases, Archgoat decided to split after the release of their debut EP Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration), only to come back to life eleven years later and start working on new material. Angelslaying Black Fucking Metal was what the band decided to offer to the hungry fans that have been anxious about it all this time, another EP one year after the regroup, pretty much in the vain of their older stuff. However, this record much weaker and more shallow, compared to previous stuff.

If one thought that Angelcunt was short, lasting only thirteen minutes, they should check this out. Three songs that barely pass five and a half minutes in total, certainly too short and to quick for one to notice in a load of music or similar. These three tracks combined could easily be used as one filler track for an actual whole album, it contains such a small amount of music. That was a cruel comeback dudes. I believe they were in a hurry to release a full length (that came out in 2006) and wanted to put out something before it, so the EP was created in something like a day or so, like the listeners would not notice.

However, I think many fans that like this band are satisfied by the EP, which doesn't lack anything for the standards of Archgoat. It's not friendly melodic, instead it still is uncompromising, raw and heavy. The compositional level is not hard to reach, but it seems like they had better things to do during the conception of this, as if it's something they hadn't completely think through. The production is more polished and doesn't have the filth of the early nineties, which was lovely. Instead, it has created a metallic sound for the guitars and left the drums a little behind, making the sound cleaner but not improved by any means. Even the vocals don't have the bits of diversity they had on Angelcunt, they are limited to monotonous growling only.

There is "Penis Perversor", aggressively opening the record with some screaming samples and the same old riffs, for about two minutes. It is a punching track but doesn't get out of the bathroom. The second "Thrice Damned Sodomizer (Stream Of Blood)" is the longest and most solid song here, it gives the impression of a full song and has a couple of nice synths here and there. The last track "Satanic Oath" lasts 43 seconds and it's relatively useless. Again, the band does not stray from the cloud of death metal that much, meaning very un-technical and watered down death metal over the actual genre. Therefore, this EP sucks in two genres.

I enjoyed the first EP very much but almost hated the second. Maybe I had negative thoughts about it before listening, but if it had anything interesting, it would change my mind. With a stomping title and some empty songs, it seems like they tried to recapture the love of the scene from nothing and if this is considered a return, it's a god damn lame one. Hopefully, their later full albums were meant to repay me and everyone else in full or even more...

DAMAGE: 1.0/10

Archgoat - Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration) (EP, 1993) Review

Country | Finland
Genre | Black / Death Metal

Label | Necropolis Records
Dynamic range | DR7

| The black crusade |

Finland's Archgoat were active during the second wave for a few year but disbanded in 1993, only to regroup in 2004 and continue the bestial black / death metal madness they had been spreading from the beginning. Their music is not that hard to get into, having plain ideas and delivering them as raw as they can every time. After a couple of dirty demos, they released their first EP Angelcunt (Tales of Desecration) in 1993, which has seven tracks and lasts only thirteen and a half minutes.

For some reason, many bands of this style use intros and outros in their records, most of the times being aimless and vapid in content. While this is one of the most unconventional forms of black metal, they use half a minute or a whole minute tracks with random screams and sounds, doing nothing at all. This is also the case here, track one and seven (the first and the last) are just boring instrumentals. The drumming is right on the spot, very organic with good fillings. Unlike many others, it has it's own character here and it's damn audible. The sound of the guitars and the bass is pretty down tuned, to create an unclean sound that they might name as "unholy", for that's what the band is all about. Even though there are no lyrics available, it's not hard to recognize the anti religious, blasphemic concept Angelcunt includes. They are indeed tales of desecration.

The main part of the record starts with a heavy track named "Rise Of The Blackmoon", which is one of the best in the record as well. It depicts Archgoat as a whole too, focusing on filthy riffs and monster-growling vocals, while there is a really nice bell sample in it's middle paced moments. "Death and Necromancy" includes the same amount of aggressive and uncompromising fury, switching between a fast and a slow tempo. It also has some solo like guitar parts that remind a lot of the death metal solo techniques of that era. The fourth track "Soulflay" starts of with a slow, groovy line and contains a church organ synth behind the instrumentation, as well as some demonic voice notes, a bit different than the regular growls they are using. "Black Messiah" is a faster song in the same spirit as the previous track, while "Jesus Spawn" is quite shorter than all the rest and quite fast as well. Most of these tracks had been on their previous demos as well.

Even though the production and sound of the record is crummy, I didn't think it got repetitive at all, since they are constantly changing speed, keeping it a little bit more interesting. It draws influences from the early days of death metal (especially demo recordings) and the few but sweet samples and synths also add some extra points to the whole result, granted that one completely overlooks the instrumentals, as I did. I say it is above average and a crucial release for this genre, as Archgoat has influenced a whole lot of bands that came out later on.

DAMAGE: 7.0/10

Ildjarn & Hate Forest - Those Once Mighty Fallen (Split, 2013) Review

Country | Norway / Ukraine
Genre | Black Metal
Date | October 1st, 2013
Label | Osmose Productions

| Mighty fallen heroes arise |

Sometimes, records get enormous hype before their official release and every last person interested into that particular genre is looking out for it, regardless of their taste on the band(s) and / or out of curiosity, they end up listening to it. It's not often but it's reasonable, since people want to be informed on the most important news of their scene, have an opinion on them etc... The split release of Hate Forest with Ildjarn was breaking and unexpected news. It described each blackster's terror and joy at the same time, for a result that had potential for a win or an embarassing loss, as everyone was excited, I know you hoped it is not a fiasco of two of your favourite bands, ruining their image and reputation. When you are informed that these are old recordings remastered, isn't there that awkward moment when you don't really agree with the label's decision but you can't judge either, if they are respected to the scene? Come on, when labels need money, they find shitty, forgotten rehearsals that the (by now famous) band hates, they remaster them and re-release them, hoping for any profit. Am I right?

The situation grows worse when one of the bands is Ildjarn, the epitome of disgusting sound. It's so dirty that it has divided the black metal community into two sides, the ones that consider all his work garbage and the ones that see him as the one and only purist and visionary. Ildjarn is notorious and a famous misanthropist after all. I have to admit that I would listen to this record and leave a sigh when it finishes, for no new music and yet new records, for recycling old glory, for not leaving one artist to rest in peace when they choose to etc.... One the other side, Hate Forest have been raped by re-releases of their hidden recordings several times after they disbanded, which is somehow funny, a band no longer active to release a demo, a split, a compilation and now a second split. It seems like they rushed it. It's natural that the label probably takes the band's permission for all these new albums, but I would prefer they quit the bullshit and get together for new music if they want new albums under their name. Hate Forest are excluded, since I am a huge fan of them and I can't take a black metal fan seriously if they haven't spent time on this fundamental European band.

Dilemma rises when the above thoughts spin around your head and at the same time it's Osmose Productions that organizes the release. It's not the non-existent rip-off label of your fraud neighbor, it's THE Osmose Productions. A look into their roster and history will help the people unfamiliar with it to understand the level of professionalism and accuracy of choices that goes on in there, so this isn't either a joke or a false statement. You are actually going to have a split between two of the most controversial but also approved acts in the whole genre, which is somehow,  a historic event. It might just be my overexcitement and big mouth, but still I was very curious to listen to this, since I like specific parts of Ildjarn's discography and loathe a fair part of them as well. There are times that I do feel the organic, nature-driven raw sound he intended to make, but it's not always undeviating and capturing as it should, resulting in a missed shot. According to the information we have, Hate Forest's side was recorded in 2000-2001 and Ildjarn's side in 1994.

Starting off with the first six compositions by Ildjarn, which are, as relieving as it can be, something more than astonishing. Truly amazing, straightforward tracks of pure, delicate black metal for every fan out there. The atmosphere, the feeling of isolation, the hatred for mankind's idiocy, everything flowrishes wonderfully in it's most primitive and basic form. This might be the root of the tree for sure. This material belongs to the solid side of the band and delivers equal strength to Darkthrone's unholy trilogy, equally dirty, destructive and unhuman. The noisy guitar sound, the clear bass, the definition-of-the-genre immense vocals, the banging drums and some additives of keyboard melodies that remind of nostalgic, medieval ambient is what the package contains. There is a decent proportion of synths in the songs, as much as needed, without deviating from the original angressiveness. Track two "Ashes of Stars" and the short "Gates to Bottomless Halls" include some classic Norwegian riffing, while "Birds of Misty Dusk" and "Mountains Covered with Snow Forever" are more atmospheric, in their own unique way. "Forest Crypt" is the opening track and goes through all the elements of Ildjarn's music during it's seven minutes of length.

Descending further into Hate Forest's offerings, they open with "Cimmerian Shadows", which is a beautiful dark ambient piece as an introduction, pointing out the closure of the first part of the record as well. I don't know what recordings are these and under what treatment they went, but it's a crystal clear sound, similar and even cleaner than some of their own albums. The signature of the band shines from the guitar work again, which sounds and feels like Slavonic black metal, a bit less furious than the first but largely epic. The vocals are similar to regular Hate Forest, which might sound unusual to a person that has never listened to them before, because they lean towards death metal. These are deep, old school growls for the most parts, could easily fit to any death metal band of that period and I can't say I would prefer traditional screams, since the instrumentation goes along with the voice perfectly. I liked the first three tracks after the intro, being a great agglomeration of Hate Forest's own style, in both fast (track "Howl of Hyperborean Winters") and middle paced tempos (the penultimate eight minute "Crowned with Crescent Horns"). I was a little dismayed by the beginning of the last track "Abyss Wanderer", which reminds me of weird electronic genres I don't like, as it contains such synth lines at the background. That's why it's the weakest track of their side to me.

I would laugh if you had told me beforehand, that I would enjoy Ildjarn more over Hate Forest (excuse my ignorance). Both bands demonstrate the best of their abilities and their personal approach to the genre, writhing precisely between atmosphere and roughness without getting too repetitive at all. Of course these tracks all come from the long gone past and that's why I enjoy them even more, because it's unheard music of the best era for black metal by two really good acts. Whatever doubts I had before getting into this are gone now and I salute Osmose for this creation, as well as the bands for the original compositions. Under it's sharp surface, the record depicts the nature of it's harmony, bitter and very artistic. Highly recommended for the fans.

DAMAGE: 9.0/10