2 X Necator Review

From Poland comes a cold nostalgic storm wind!

First review here is on the 2014 release "Polish Evil Black Metal Art" which is the bands second full album.

Necator plays a very traditional second wave black metal as base form but what what makes this notch above the other demons in the vast sea of BM is their somber incorporation of subtitle bitter folk/pagan melodies and personal touches... me personally has often a hard time enjoying folk and pagan content but here they are done just right i think. I just love some of guitar parts on track three but every song is well constructed. All is played in more or less mid pace and it is mixed in a solid standard production, not raw but not polished. Vocals is good and is from the raspy Burzum like school, all fits well together.

The songs themselves is pretty long (around 5-9 minutes is common) and the members take good care of what they include through out the play time, it has both some nice icy build ups and bleak interludes etc etc. Most if not all lyrics is in Polish (...i guess) so i cant comment about them but it is not soo hard to guess what the overall direction is heading here anyways. Dark warriors of Europe!

Good atmosphere and solid song writing through out this album so if you looking for some traditional black metal with some subtitle Polish folkish touches this is a easy pick. But for me it took some spins to really appreciate the music to the full extent as it is not really screaming for your attention...

...and that leads me into one thing that can be a negative point to this band and that is the very stripped visual design on their releases, like the logo is just a clean and common font and not a personal drawn logo and the cover designs etc is very low key and  for some this can come off as very uninspired and impersonal image.... but of course i can see the bands rightfully so unwillingness to be sucked into the "metal-metal world" or something and to point all arrows to the actual music and not to some artwork and that i can respect of course... but just bare that in mind that what you find inside of a Necator releases is in (even though traditional) a more rich quality content then what you first see!
 
Track list:
1.     Zmierzch     07:22    
2.     Wieczny chłód     07:36    
3.     07.10.07     05:02    
4.     Sacerdos Mori     09:50    
5.     Ślepy tor     05:49    
6.     Gorce     05:25    
7.     Morderca (Kat cover)     03:35    
                     Total: 44:39    

Released by Eastside
link:
http://www.eastside.peruner.com/indexen2.htm

Now over to the second review which is a 2 song Ep "Ciemności Gór Sokolich" that came out earlier this year.

Now 2 years has gone between the releases and like three other releases have come out that i have not heard until this Ep and something must have happened in the band! Anyway the music has now evolved towards a more progressive almost 70´s feel but containing the brash evil black metal aura...for some this can be a bad thing OR a good thing and i most cases i would think this was for the worst BUT these two songs is really great! It is very soaring and building madness and the vocals is now mixed more under the rest of the music and is more wailing around rather then following some lyrics. Production is also more alive here.

Great and surprising stuff here! Good clashes of the progressive structures and the negative mad screaming vocals plus some strong melodic (but not too much) guitar parts. if this is like a hint on what is coming for the next full length i think that album will be a modern classic! At least for people that can appreciate black metal that dare to go in some other directions besides straight into Satans anus hehe

Track list
1.     Ciemności Gór Sokolich        
2.     Aryan Beauty
Songs here is around 5-7 minutes

Released by  Nocturnal Silence but they seem to be closed now and the label Terror Propaganda has now released a tape collection the to Ciemność Gór Sokolich / Pożoga releases.

Inferno Requiem - Moon

From lifes suffering  if one has any luck one gets some extra understanding of our existence...can that understanding help us? Beats me but i guess we have that desperate itch of knowing so we can in some ways  prepare ourselves for our  inescapable death...yeah humans are pretty useless.

Either way this band from Taiwan Inferno Requiem has been at it since 1999 and has been delivering some  of the lands few raw true black metal, this latest Ep "Moon" is divided in four pretty lengthy songs.

Overall the sound is in a dark moldy soul choked vein that climbs up on your back and weights you down...besides its bleak black metal roots you also hear some doom-esque influences that enhances the drowning feeling greatly...first two tracks is in this delightful heavy torture but then in song 3 the heat is somewhat pumped up with some grand guitar leads and nice building tensions... feels like moving in the shadows of the past.

...then for the final anxious blast beats stream out like some killer bee swarm, keyboards are also used tastefully. The heavy dark atmosphere is still here but this faster track also feels like a one steps out of the casket and into the burning light...a nice dramatic climatic conclusion (sure there is a small outro after it but it is not so important) for this great Ep that has both many good compositions and spades of  bleeding soul.


Very much worth to hunt down! Both traditional but with a firm personal touch.

Track list:
1.     Vein     08:13    
2.     Monolith     05:49    
3.     Moon     07:31    
4.     Coven     05:00    
              Total:26:33   

Bandcamplink:
http://ir-fog.bandcamp.com/

Gravespawn - Inexorable Grimness

From United States, California comes the horde Gravespawn!

I got this Ep the same time as i got the "Infirmos Vocat Deus Fidei" 4-way split so these two releases was my very first time i heard Gravespawn....first before more research i was about to start the review saying this was one of the best new black metal bands from USA but then i saw they or him should say as it started as a one man project have been active since 2004(had already 3 demos, 1 album and one split under their belt)...so yeah felt a bit dumb there hehe.

Anyhow back to the music! The sound is a unholy mix of grim medieval grand black metal that could just as well have been released in the mid 90´s BUT that glorious history does not swallow them up instead they continue on that hateful legacy with pride and integrity!

 (this only the promo version)

As i said in the start this is the only music i have heard from them so they might sound different or is not as good as now but this Ep (and the split that is just as great!) is worth hunting down!

Really strong and quite varied melodies and atmospheres, the guitars compositions is filled with strong tunes and the drums is  fierce and the bass is filling the night air and the raspy vocals round things of just right! Production is solid i think... i also got some strong Drowning the Light - From the Abyss vibes here! And that is a great thing in my book at least! This is a cd that will spin many moons here in the crypt.

A very tight and engaging release that encapsulates the great ancinet evil!
...and i look forward to the next release a whole lot!


Track list:

1.     Old Dragon's Domain     07:55    
2.     Oath of the Annihilator     05:18    
3.     Thy Gates Ablaze     06:24    
4.     Between the Devouring Monstrosities     06:47    
5.     Scribes of Forsaken Lore     06:31    
                                 Total:32:55    

IAD Interview!

1. Greetings and welcome into Swedens underground!

-Hails !!!
I am honored to have the opportunity to do this Interview...


2.Let us start at the beginning, IAD got birthed around 1999, how was that time in
Germany for you regarding the local Black metal current? And was it all four of you from the start?

-The local BM scene was a false scene, with many betrayers. All the kids enjoyed the wave, the trend, so over the time the real spirit, ideology, the real essence of BM got lost and was to 90 % the filth. ADD and Mr. Blasphemy are from the start.


3. Regarding the bands lyrical content how would you describe it and would you say creating this type of music and art that you have become a stronger individual?


-In our lyrics we are Worship Death and pure Chaos! A journey in the realms of nihilism, pure hatred , intolerance, darkness! All weakness from Mankind must perish and among them all religions....

Yes i have become a stronger Individual..I Am I Will I Create!
 
4. Did you or have you ever played live with IAD? if so how would you say your experience have been?

-We have one or two gigs in our rehearsal room at the beginning and there we released and performed our demo within of a circle from best friends. Than we performed a gig, I think it was in 2002 in Salzgitter with The True Frost and DNS.. It was a new Experience.

5. How was it to do the first demo "The 6 Precepts of the Diabolical Deluge"? And what is your connection with the Hatework label?

-Very special for me in personal. It was my first Release ever i was involved. Wrote my first lyrics , create music with Komrades they have the same Attitude like me. Great Time..

I start Hatework in 1999, as small Distribution Mailorder/ Label, also doing some Interviews with Bands like Black Witchery, Sombre Records, Incantation...And support Bands i like , like Katharsis, Judas Iscariot, Moonblood..After some years i closed Hatework because i was not feeling like a part of the Underground Scene anymore. To .much ,, untermenschen,, who poisoned the Scene. Now in 2016 i am back to Release everything of IAD under the Hatework Banner.... Some other Stuff is planed as well...So awaiting the coming storm of Hatework!

6.Then it took some years the 7" "Die Prophezeiung" got out on Fog of the Apocalypse Records. Had your sound changed from the first release to this? really like the cover artwork, who did that one?

 
-Yes, Lord Asgaqlun from Fog of the Apocalypse Records, because he founds our songs and artwork from our demo "The 6 Precepts of the Diabolical Deluge" very absorbing, so he was interested to collaborate with us and he decided to released the 7" on his label,= I had a exact vision the put this demon on this original engraving, so I´ve asked a very talented guy if he can draw this demon ... job done. Than Occult Overdose, our next guitar player on "penitentiam agite" miniCD and the actually , who has found the engraving pic in his books collection, did the layout for this great 7".
A great merit!!!


7. The after some years again the "Penitiam agite" mini cd got released from Fog again i think. That cover art is from some old painting but i cant really remember which... looks great and fitting! By now IAD had been active for around 7-8 years, how was the feeling in the band then? and had members other music projects?

 
-It´s right, the "Penitiam agite" mini cd was released from FOTA. The cover was taken from the artist Hans Memling.An idea from Occult Overdose, and Arild A great artist and the painting fitting perfect to our music and art! All from us had sadly differently ways to go, i much more than the others, but after 7 years and one discurssion, we decided to continue. We have other project too, one of thereof will be a surprise.

8. How would you say your spiritual beliefs look like, do you walk some left hand path?

-Be your own God! I Am I Will I Create!
 
9. Your new 7" was great i think (the review can be found not far under here) but tell me about your goal with was?
 

-Create Raw Black Metal Art of the utmost intolerant, hateful and arrogant essence. Not for Die Hard Metal Maniacs, not for the masses. Just for us and the True Radical Underground!

In my opinion vinyl is the best medium for a Black Metal release. I am not a big fan of this digital/bandcamp stuff instead I prefer vinyl and tapes. So it was clear that we release the songs on a limited vinyl edition.
The way it meant to be....

10. Thanks for your time! Last chant is yours!

-Worship Death! Worship Chaos! Worship Me!

4 X TAPE Reviews !!!

Hostium - Pissing Incest on the Virginborn (4 tracks): Strong impressive demo, cold and melancholic raw hate that strike you down song after song, Hostium is one of the strongest new black metal bands from Canada so if you find this tape just get it!...then hunt down the album "The Bloodwine of Satan" Dont need to say no more.

This tape was released by Vanguard Productions & The True Plague
 

Absintdebellum - Demo MMXIII (5 tracks): Prepare for some dirty and raw blackened death metal, they have a ugly sound almost one can feel the flesh fall off the bones! It has a heavy sound overall but its backed by some menacing blasting drums and disgusting vocals. You dont feel far from war hearing this demo, chaos and fire! Great rumbling Start!

Released by Unholy Black Abyss
 

Exumbras/Immature Morte  - From the Realm of Shadows U.C.F.N (5 tracks): Exumbras start this split with its traditional raw smoky negative style, it wanders from grave to grave. the moon is turned red and life is running out. It two rituals has both primitive and occult atmosphere.Second song is the strongest i think with its bleak and drowning effect it has on your mood.
Then it is Immature Morte turn and they blast off with a mighty destruction of occult rawness that make you loose your teeth! I love the messy and chaotic production and deliverance! They sound pretty evil i might add...even monstrous !
Last on the b-side there is a fantastic song which is made by both bands! a epic satanic mass ritual for this Age of Aquarius!

Released by Svart Hat Productions
 

Megalith Grave - Cursed in Ethereal Elapse (5-tracks): MG plays in a lo-fi raw satanic style with has flair for putting me into a claustrophobic state..like i getting hammered in the head deep non-stop inside a bat infested cave...primitive and unflattering assult in other words! Besides my torment i enjoyed this tape-in-a-zip release! I feel the first part is the strongest though.Another plus is the exuberance of  mystery Megalith Grave have and after hearing this tape i must try to get more from this one man band (Gamol is the mad man in question)

Released by Defiled Light
 

Cruda Sorte - Nekrolog

Cruda Sorte plays here a kind of progressive dark rock with metal influences i say, i would not call this album really black metal but some might put it in the genre of some post black metal i guess.

Either way their sound is quite nice and gloomy and i enjoyed it quite much even if this is not a genre i am into that much but then again this release proves that it can be done in more ways then...i am used to hear...not that Cruda Sorte sound very different but their craft and atmosphere is solid and dont stroke me in the wrong way.

The songs are pretty lengthy and the compositions mixes sweeping gloomy melodic bits (mainly the guitar and drums i feel drives it all forward) and then throws in some tempo changes to the more jammy rocking bits and i get a bit of a 70´s vibe here...which could ruin it all but it does not at all.
They play very professional.
Vocals are in the upset/complaining ghasting vein rather then raspy BM croaks, the lyrics themselves is in Germanic so i cant really say anything about them but the statement written on the back "Time is without hope...
...total destruction of matter" i assume the lyrics is in similar negative existential direction.

I remember now that i heard some songs on their "Innozenz" album from 2014 and i think i liked the creations better there...from what i remember they had a more black evil sound and approach...

All in all this is a good release and perhaps great for the fans of this type of style, for me personally i like the forth track the best, it has some really great parts in it and one is left with a lasting positive impression of the band.


Track list:

1.     Proloqvivm     02:00       instrumental
2.     Dictatvra     10:33    
3.     Necrologia     09:19    
4.     Aevitas     12:35    
                Total:34:27    

Released by :
Nihilistische KlangKunst & Narbentage Produktionen

Links:
www.narbentage.de
www.n-kk.de.vu

Espectrum - Awakening in Darkness

Proud and cold black metal from Colombia is here in the incarnation of Espectrum!

Their sound inspiration is something i would say comes from the mid 90´s when the epic black metal was growing strong (away from the most raw styles), wandering nostalgic melodies which is very traditional but at the same time strong in themselves, guitar is leading very much but also so is the croaking vocals (also some darker almost spoken vocals for slower parts), bass has a nice sound and the drums is quite playful and not only blasting or such. Good assault in other words!

I feel quite intrigued about their overall sound and existence as a kind of mystique is hovering around them... cant really put my finger on it but it feels sincere and the music is nothing they rush to completion..at least that is my impression...and they have existed around 10-11 years and only released a demo and this full album so they dont really spit out releases that is for sure. (i know they work on new stuff though which i look forward to.)

The production here is good and let all instruments shine just enough, the only real critique i have is that the vocals is used a bit to much (and it can sound a bit obnoxious, the middle range vocals sounds best to me) and drowns some parts of the compositions that would been stronger if they been only by them selves.

If you are looking for some medieval black metal with a flair of evil grandness try out this album, both a bit exotic but the same time old school.

Best tracks: 2, 3,5

Track list:

1.     Awakening in Darkness     04:59      
2.     The Whispers of the Night     08:01      
3.     Ecos     07:38    
4.     Hate     06:11      
5.     Del crepúsculo al amanecer     07:04    
6.     Laments of Death     06:37    
7.     Under the Shadows     08:02      
8.     Infernal Planets (Instrumental version) 07:36
      Total:56:08   

Released by Manitú Records
mail:
maniturecords2@hotmail.com