When i popped in this cd the first time i had actually missed the member info/hype that this three-piece band consisted by Doedsadmiral ( i had no knowlage of before this release and the research i did for this review) AND the one and only Shatraug (Sargeist, Horna, Behexen etc) and Antichristian (drummer in Tsjuder among others)...
...I think i was lucky to have missed that info because i would been shaped by unhealthy hype mostly due to Shatraugs involvement.
Ok i take the good news first:
It is a solid and fine album and all members delivers a professional creation of Traditional Norwegian Black Metal (leaning to the more occult & aggressive). Good clean and strong production and the cover artwork is superb and i would not mind haveing it as a big ass poster on my wall....and it is no short album either.
Over to my negative thoughts and feelings then:
The first thing i had trouble to enjoy was the vocals that for my ears sounds to forced and it is like all his energy is put on to sound-like-he-does and no energy is left for soul and passion into the voice/lyrics (which is very important), one thing that could have helped here would be that he sang in more varied ways and not the same all the way. (Vocal style is in some middle range depth and has a gnarly rasp that reminds me of Dimmu Borgirs Shagrath...)
Then i guess the music it self is so very traditional and common that it would have needed a hell of a lot more killer riffs and drama to it to really shine through the crowd.(as the crowd is very thick!) the three songs that only stands out for me is 3,4,5 and here Shatraug has some nice riff structures, both dark and sinister and some groovy ones but after that not so much more for me....
...I have no clue about how they recorded this album and how much they met douring the creative process and perhaps this album have gotten more meat and passion unto it if not Doedsadmiral was active with other releases in almost the same time and space. (check Svartelder, Nordjevel, Enepsigos. i have not heard any of them)
Either way i might sound like a jaded ass but one has its own taste of course, i have seen some other online reviews here and there that like this much more then me so you might be like them so do your self a favor and check out this release and then you know for yourself....and that is the only thing that matters!
Tracklist:
1. Our Lord Cometh! 06:17
2. Rituals 02:35
3. Doedsvangr 06:02
4. Black Dawn 04:14
5. Northern Watchtowers 03:50
6. Diaboli 04:59
7. Gnashing of Teeth 05:37
8. Breath of Lucifer 04:51
9. Throne of Black Illumination 04:48
10. Blood Whores 03:30
11. Black Sun Nimbus 07:06
Total:53:49
Released by Immortal Frost Productions:
http://www.immortalfrostproductions.com/
