ovshadows-idjavulensavbild-reviews

Review from Black Metal Spirit

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 23:02:02 +0100

From: Black Metal Spirit

Published: December 1, 2020

Segunda larga duración para los suecos, un segundo álbum que sigue la línea de su predecesor y entrega un sonido black de corte clásico, con elementos blackened death metal y doom. Un álbum que en poco más de cuarenta minutos se despacha a gusto con una propuesta directa y muy potente, en donde la contundencia del conjunto esta fuera de toda duda, al mismo tiempo que logra un sonido muy compacto que tanto nos retrotrae a mediados de los noventa con sus riffs incendiarios que se mueven sólidamente en una faceta que podríamos definir por un lado como cruda y agresiva, sin olvidarnos de ciertas disonancias que también aportan un toque menos accesible su sonido que se ve compensado por un tono melódico en segundo plano. Sin embargo la esencia de este black metal que podemos definir como de segunda ola, muy encuadrado dentro de la escena escandinava de la época acaba por ofrecer una vertiente mucho más oscura, casi que ritualista, de lo que en un principio puede presuponerse, todo ello gracias a la inclusión de elementos más cercanos al blackened death emtal en algunas partes, pero sobre todo a la latencia del ritmo de los temas que hacen emerger profundas influencias del un infecto doom. Las voces se muestran muy bien integradas con la música, agresivas, oscuras y profundas puestas al servicio de la intensidad de la música y sirviendo para enfatizar diferentes estilos anteriormente mencionados. En definitiva un trabajo contundente y cargado de personalidad.

Rating: 8.3/10

Review from Aristocrazia Webzine

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 21:09:35 +0100

From: Aristocrazia Webzine

Published: November 29, 2020

Original Link

La psicologia analitica è una teoria psicologica e tecnica d’analisi del profondo elaborata dal celebre psichiatra svizzero Carl Gustav Jung, il quale ipotizzò l’esistenza di un inconscio collettivo comune a tutti gli esseri umani e composto dagli archetipi, che si manifestano in ogni individuo, popolo e cultura. Tra i principali archetipi, accanto al Sé (insieme contenente ogni esperienza psichica) e la Persona (immagine pubblica che scegliamo di mostrare agli altri) troviamo il più oscuro e spaventoso: l’Ombra. Quest’ultimo archetipo rappresenta l’essenza del passato, ciò che rinneghiamo e reprimiamo, i nostri desideri più profondi, e, passando a una dimensione sovrapersonale, il male assoluto e il negativo dell’esistenza. Quale miglior concept per un gruppo il cui nome significa letteralmente delle ombre?

Devo ammettere che, a prima vista, trovandomi di fronte a un album il cui titolo tradotto è Nell’Immagine Del Diavolo, con una copertina che per qualche motivo mi ha ricordato quelle dei Marduk, pensavo di essere di fronte all’ennesima opera dalle tematiche blasfeme trite e ritrite di cui la scena black metal è piena zeppa e che, personalmente, trovo molto spesso ridondanti. Inutile dire che sono stato piacevolmente sorpreso dalla corta descrizione che spiegava il concept degli Ov Shadows, per l’appunto basato sull’archetipo junghiano dell’ombra, presente sul Bandcamp della Hypnotic Dirge.

Gli Ov Shadows, attivi da ormai quattro anni e arrivati oggi al loro terzo opus, sono fautori di un black metal canonico in pieno stile svedese: la presenza di riff in tremolo picking, blast beat, screaming ferocissimo e melodie in scala minore potrebbe portarci ad accostarlo al classico swedish sound degli anni ’90, se non fosse per le influenze più moderne che si fanno sentire nelle parti più lente in cui le dissonanze la fanno da padrone. I Djävulens Avbild è un vero e proprio assalto sonoro che parte in quarta con un blast beat selvaggio sin dal primo secondo e continua incessante per ben 43 minuti, rallentando qua e là ma senza mai mollare la presa sull’aggressività e la cattiveria: le parti più cadenzate sono perfettamente inserite tra i momenti più veloci, mentre ogni cambio di tempo è studiato e pensato per non risultare troppo meccanico o repentino. Ne deriva il fatto che il disco scorre perfettamente, tenendo viva l’attenzione dell’ascoltatore e facendolo piombare nelle sue atmosfere oscure e avvolgenti.

Molto spesso i gruppi che suonano in maniera particolarmente veloce e che hanno una produzione piuttosto pulita rischiano di risultare asettici (qualcuno ha detto Dark Funeral?), tuttavia non è il caso degli Ov Shadows, la cui bravura è proprio quella di riuscire a farci immergere appieno nelle atmosfere e nel concept senza bisogno di comprendere i testi (presenti nel booklet ma senza traduzione). Tracce come “Blasfemiskt Crescendo”, senza dubbio la mia preferita, sono la perfetta summa delle capacità della band: sei minuti di pura oscurità in cui tutto l’arsenale musicale è al servizio del concept e delle atmosfere, senza mai risultare ridondante.

In conclusione, I Djävulens Avbild è un’ottima prosecuzione del cammino iniziato dagli svedesi quattro anni fa, e, pur non discostandosi moltissimo dal precedente The Darkness Between Stars, ne costituisce una naturale evoluzione e prosecuzione concettuale e sonora. Senza dubbio uno degli album black metal più interessanti di questo proficuo 2020.

Reviewed by: The Old School Nick

Review from Ave Noctum

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 23:08:59 +0100

From: Ave Noctum

Published: October 26, 2020

Original Link

If I was a Bond villain looking to hold the world to ransom by destabilising the Black Metal community (unlikely but stay with me here), my nefarious plot would involve removing the letter “v” from all keyboards being manufactured. Imagine the consternation and beating of breasts that would occur if corpse painted folks could no longer replace “f”s or “u”s with that pointy toothsome letter! Maybe they could move to something more cuddly like an upper case Q. So KQlt and TrQe. I digress!

My attempts at wit aside, Ov Shadows are a Black Metal band from Gothenburg who favour the full on bombast and blast of bands like 1349 and fellow Swedes Dark Funeral. “I Djavulens Avilbild” is their second full length following 2018’s “The Darkness Between Stars”.

This, the band’s first release on Hypnotic Dirge, is full of stirring icy riffs with a really full sound. The first three tracks on the album allow no time to strap in before they catapult into a maelstrom of darkness. “Blasphemiskt Crescendo” had me reaching for the sky with the unholy metal claw whilst my neck whipped to the oh so beefy drum sound. The guitars here pinch and scream like tortured violins. Delightfully devillish!

It is refreshing that Ov Shadows are a quartet having reviewed a lot of one-man bands and duos who lurk in the darkness of late. The four, sound like a band and the drums offer a warm organic feel amongst the razor-sharp guitars and blistering basslines.

The title track is a more pensive composition than the others carried by a driving drum beat that gives the track a nautical Viking air.

As I listen to the album more – been spinning it for a week or so, I have started to draw comparisons to Immortal’s Northern Chaos Gods and it is starting to grow on me more and more. It is one of those albums that has a musical theme running through it but offering enough diversity to keep the interest and ensure that the tracks do not blur into one. This is definitely an album for folks who enjoy a good drum sound – I just wish my air drums were better!

Ov Shadows have produced an aggressively melodic, devilishly driving collection of blackened brutality. I for one am a new convert.

Rating: 8/10

Reviewed by: Matt Mason

Review from True Metal

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 19:10:59 +0100

From: True Metal

Published: October 13, 2020

Original Link

L’uggiosa atmosfera autunnale si presta in particolar modo all’analisi di “I Djävulens Avbild”, ultima fatica in studio degli svedesi Ov Shadows. Il quartetto di Gothenburg presenta quest’album come una solida composizione di black metal svedese moderno: non parliamo dichiaratamente di un concept album, ma il percorso delineato dalla band nella fruizione dei sette brani proposti invita alla contemplazione dell’oscurità che ci portiamo dentro, che può portare solo ad un trionfo di nichilismo iconoclasta. “Un monumento ad una vita estinta”, come recita il quarto brano del lotto, sembra la definizione più calzante per quest’opera. Siamo davanti a quattro musicisti molto capaci, che vengono esaltati da una produzione pressoché perfetta: batteria chirurgica e “vera”, riff molto tetri e malinconici, con un basso che prende lo spazio che deve, senza sparire né invadere le tracce. Dopo un ottimo inizio esplosivo in cui (per citare ancora un brano dei nostri) “La melodia vortica come foglie d’autunno al vento”, ci troviamo davanti “Under Dödens Vingar” : brano molto cupo e compassato, con delle belle accelerate dove necessario ed uno scream che graffia al punto giusto le orecchie dell’ascoltatore. Questo pezzo in particolare risulta perfetto nel posizionamento: essendo posto nel cuore dell’album dà in qualche modo “respiro” al fruitore, impedendo di soverchiarlo con un muro sonoro di brutalità che, per quanto non caotica, a lungo andare avrebbe potuto perdere mordente se ininterrotta. Le malinconiche chitarre che pervadono tutta la composizione si sentono in maniera preponderante nella title track: questa procede su ritmi inizialmente compassati, per poi acquisire velocità. Batteria sempre precisa e ispirata che non fa solo da metronomo, ma anzi arricchisce il quadro compositivo generale. Ottime anche le chitarre, che passano costantemente da suoni più alti a più bassi, da pennate tenui a rudi. A chiudere il cerchio troviamo “Av Kunskap Krönt Till Gud”, che rappresenta l’esempio principe della potenza ordinata espressa dai quattro di Gothenburg. Qui grazie ad un fine lavoro di basso si manifestano delle continue dissonanze, che creano una costante dicotomia sonora in seno ai taglienti riff di chitarra, colpendo nel segno fino all’ultimo dei 43 minuti che caratterizzano quest’opera. Il giudizio non può che essere positivo: ciascun brano è pervaso dalla mesta atmosfera che ogni album black metal deve presentare, elevando all’ennesima potenza le capacità dei singoli componenti della band, che hanno dato vita ad un prodotto di qualità, solido e d’impatto.

Reviewed by: Manuele Marconi

Review from Makeshift Altars

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 22:05:22 +0100

From: Makeshift Altars

Published: September 12, 2020

Original Link

Ov Shadows fly in to deliver you a glacial slab of black metal all the way from Sweden, and boy are their arms tired...

...not from flapping their would-be wings, of course, which I’m sure would be covered in tar-black feathers. Either that or something resembling a bat’s wings. Black Metal Animorphs, anyone? Just me? Okay... no, in all seriousness, where these black metal bands get the stamina to deliver these absolutely pelting sections of blastbeats and constant double-picked leads for at least 90 percent of a 45-minute album is beyond me. But Ov Shadows pull it off, and showcase a wealth of not only arm strength but songwriting competence as well.

Black metal can really start to sound a bit unimaginative after listening to artists try to pull off the same wintery sound over and over, with so many purposefully under-produced tracks you would think a business selling only $5 microphones would be trading on the New York Stock Exchange by now. So when I heard the Swedish black metal group Silencer for the first time, with such crystal-clear production, inventive track structures, and passionate vocals, it completely refreshed my views on black metal as a whole. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that another Swedish black metal band would come for my heart by following in some of the same snow-covered footsteps once again, this time with an additional 20 years of musical retrospective to back them up. Now this is not to say that Ov Shadows are going so far as to completely change the landscape of the genre as a whole, but their efforts here are truly commendable nonetheless.

From the moment that the album opener “Den Eld som Tär Och Förvrider” (“The Fire That Consumes and Distorts”, for you non-Swedes our there) extends its tattered-robed arm towards you and motions for you to move closer, you’re already under its spell. We begin immediately under fire from a volley of percussion, accompanied by some dissonant guitar work that will leave you reminiscing over that old Immortal cassette you spent entirely too much money on, but let’s not get ourselves covered in nearly 30 year old cobwebs here. These guys have come for blood, and it shows. The vocal performance gives the impression of deranged wickedness, cold and menacing but coming from a place of true misery beyond the years of what could be considered a normal lifespan. The melancholic but surprisingly clean melodies in combination with the slight choral effect on the vocals lend an almost wistful air to the proceedings, as if recalling the lands as they were in days of yore. This is typical of the genre but done to great effect here, almost as moving as the drunken ramblings of Urfaust, but with less aggression and more of a dynamic, modern feel. “Anakoretens Gap” (“The Maw of the Anchorite”) and the title track deliver a fantastically moving 1-2 punch of emotion as well, slowing things down at just the right moments to lend some breathing room before continuing the auditory assault. It seems from the lyrical content that the album, contrary to how cohesive it sounds as a whole, is made up of a few different themes and ideas, each one as dark and foreboding as the next (a gloomy Mother Goose’s nursery rhymes, if you will). The center piece of its majority is religion, and that’s exactly what fascinates me about “Anakoretens Gap”; the translation makes specific mention of an “Anchorite” (a term I had never heard before), which is a sort of religious hermit, and the track seems to weave a sad tale of one whose devotion to their worship leaves them ready to perish as their world collapses around them. There is an abundance of anguish and despair trapped within each wail, but also huge undertones of anger and hatred. The project, personified, radiates a misanthropic, violent energy; certainly not the type of traveler one would want to cross on a stormy night. This is reflected in no better place than the lyrics of “Spotsk” in which the speaker expresses great disdain for an unnamed acquaintance that has apparently become disillusioned in life; I’m assuming here that the disillusionment is from learning some sort of ugly truth about their faith, given the rest of the album’s overall themes. The contempt turns into mockery as they watch the subject fall deeper into a manic state, watching as their “soul dies” and they look on with scornful laughter. If that doesn’t show contempt for humanity, I’m not sure what does…

In retrospect, Ov Shadows’ previous entry The Darkness Between Stars is a very comparable release to their 2020 outing, with their lengths being almost identical and production value seeming very similar on initial listens. But I think the main difference here is in terms of pacing and intensity. Nearly every song on Darkness starts with a slow build-up of some sort, that leads into a faster paced section that is standard for black metal, with a few more peaks and valleys of varying energy. This time around, Ov Shadows ride in on shadowy mounts from on high, keeping up the intensity much of the way through, with necessary breaks interspersed. I found myself head-bobbing without realizing it quite a few times during I Djävulens Avbild’s 43-minute span, which speaks to just how good it is at grabbing your attention even when you don’t think it has. Pretty much every track has a memorable section, and most of these come to fruition from the very neatly-laid kick patterns which lend a nice groove to the proceedings, much to the contrast of most releases from the band’s contemporaries which tend to opt for a more “raw” (read: messy) sound. Your grandmother’s 2nd wave black metal this is not! But make no mistake, these Swedes have more to back them up than great percussion work and some fancy tremolo strumming. Whereas Darkness found the group slowing down more often to incorporate more variation in tone and structure, this album favors a borderline-overwhelming vigor while still maintaining some excellently emotional undercurrents and decidedly angular guitar lines. And in that, I think the gang show their mature side, though I’m fairly certain they don’t have a lot of maturing to do being that their ancient ceremonial magick has kept them alive for centuries now.

In closing I just want to highlight how masterfully the final track “Av Kunskap Krönt till Gud” (“By Knowledge Crowned God”) showcases the group’s talent and knack for crafting such intricately woven but cohesive pieces that I couldn’t imagine a more fitting end to the journey. No instrument goes unnoticed in this auditory assault, especially with the small bass flourishes at around the 2:10 and 2:30 marks. There’s an air of finality to the piece, and the halfway point gives a brief moment of respite before building up to a crescendo of mixed animosity and elation; the lyrics reflect a ritualistic intent, so the combination of these elements leave the listener with a lasting impression of having bore witness to a grandiose display of supernatural power. Having never been to Sweden, I can only guess the frequency with which such events occur there, but it must be often given how easily the imagery is brought forth. Must be like two times a week? Three? Man, I should really travel more…

Reviewed by: Ryan

Review from Blessed Altar Zine

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 20:42:04 +0100

From: Blessed Altar Zine

Published: September 2, 2020

Original Link

Swedish black metallers Ov Shadows are back with their second full length album “I Djävulens Avbild” their first release on Hypnotic Dirge records.

Their first full length ”The Darkness Between Stars” (2018) was a relentless assault of chaotic black metal, proving that the experience and fluidity the members gained in Gothenburg’s Waning, in which they all played together, would be carried over to this new project. “I Djävulens Avbild” (In the Devil’s Image), continues this trend of filthy black metal.

From the get go with “Den Eld Som Tär och Förvi”, it grabs you and refuses to let go like a hellhound that has escaped from the fiery pits and is intent on dragging you back with it. Within seconds of the album starting itf fast drumming, hollowed vocals and dissonant melodies churning from guitars. The occasional slower interlude like on “Under Dödens Vingar” provides a slight chance of recuperation before you are wrested back into the terror of true Scandinavian black metal.

As expected in a sophomore release, it boasts slightly better production quality, although there wasn’t too much to improve upon from the first release. “I Djävulens Avbild” is an excellent, tumultuous ride of an album. It’s as if the music hunts you, seeping into your ears where it lingers and festers, frantically wrapping your brain with cold tendrils of exasperated guitars, and chilling vocals. Cold, bitter and unapologetic, it’s one of my major contenders for AOTY.

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: Annihilatrix

Review from Diario de un metalhead

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 21:20:34 +0100

From: Diario de un metalhead

Published: August 31, 2020

Original Link

Por Jorge López Novales.

En tiempos de incertidumbre cae en mis manos el segundo larga duración de la banda sueca Ov Shadows, “I Djävulens Avbild” (traducido como “In the Devil's Image”). Ha coincidido que mi estado de ánimo ahora mismo necesitaba metal extremo y no podía haber encontrado mejor solución. A los pocos segundos de escucha ya me había sumergido en su oscuridad.

¿A que suenan los de Gotemburgo? Ov Shadows practica un agresivo e hipnótico black metal de retorcidos riffs de guitarra y una batería que dispara blastbeats y aporta muchos matices, todo ello amparado por la voz de un alma atrapada en el infierno. A pesar de toda esta agresividad desplegada, encontramos que la banda es terriblemente atmosférica, algo que consiguen sin ningún tipo de orquestación; lo cual es un logro partiendo de una base tan brutal. Las guitarras toman una melodía, un leitmotiv que acaban retorciendo a su antojo en frenéticos trémolos picking y lo hacen de tal manera que en ningún momento sentimos que nos enfrentamos a algo repetitivo. Incluso cuando la batería rebaja las revoluciones y nos vemos inmersos en pequeños oasis, estamos tan en tensión por lo que estamos escuchando que no nos damos cuenta del cambio.

La fuerza del conjunto no se rebaja en ningún momento. Hasta un medio tiempo como “I djävulens avbild” se convierte en un espejismo cuando poco a poco la banda nos lleva a su terreno. Como contraste un punteo sin distorsionar transmite todo el desasoiego del tema, se deja oír en primer plano y ocupa un segundo cuando es requerido y no desentona con los demás elementos. Funciona como un estribillo.

Toda esta tensión la consiguen en siete temas que superan los seis minutos, exceptuando dos que apenas superan los cinco.

“Den eld som tär och förvrider” con el que abren su disco es un bombazo. Va al grano desde el primer segundo. Si conseguimos sobrevivir a su escucha, un tema inmisericorde en el que se exageran todas las características de la banda, podremos degustar los siguientes temas con un poco más de tranquilidad.

La banda cita entre sus infuencias a Dark Funeral, Shining, Nightbringer, Waning (banda en la que antes militaron los miembros de Ov Shadows), y Obitus. De primeras la única influencia que puedo llegar a reconocer es la de Dark Funeral.

Este trabajo ha sido grabado, mezclado y masterizado por la propia banda. Consiguen equilibrar la densa tormenta sonora, un sonido muy limpio, donde se pueden apreciar detalles a un volumen elevado. Ninguno de los componentes busca destacar por encima de los demás en su sonido. Incluso en los créditos de la banda, al usar solo iniciales para hablar del lineup, se ve que se busca que la música hable por ellos, así mismo, la oscura foto promocional mantiene oculta la cara de los músicos.

La portada es obra de Mister snopuls. Un impactante dibujo en blanco y negro, lo que podría ser la encarnación femenina de la muerte que porta en su mano derecha un crucifijo invertido (con la propia imagen de Cristo). En la mano izquierda presenta un hacha. La imagen mira, son globos oculares hacia arriba, cubierta por una tela que rodea su cuerpo y cubre su cabeza y que aparentemente se sujeta con tres pequeñas calaveras en su pecho. El título se sitúa sobre su cabeza, teniendo como fondo un triángulo invertido en tono granate, única aportación de color a la portada, tan oscuro que no destaca en el negro, la oscuridad, predominante. Este triángulo es el epicentro desde el que se proyectan una especie de rayos que cubren el fondo de la imagen. Este triángulo equilátero posiblemente evoca la representación de la Trinidad y el resplandor que desprende. Aun que esta interpretación de la portada es algo personal y puede no ser la intención última de la banda.

Un trabajo muy recomendable que transmite. Te queda el regusto de estar ante algo bello y a la vez retorcido que no puedes dejar de escuchar. No hay lugar para la indiferencia.

Review from Underground Extremo

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 21:19:11 +0100

From: Underground Extremo

Published: August 31, 2020

Original Link

Nascendo das cinzas da horda "Waning", e com uma aura sonora totalmente obscura lembrando a escola sueca do estilo que sempre revelou nomes como o grande Dark Funeral, seu primeiro EP foi lançado em 2016 Monologues que foi muito bem recebido que logo depois tivemos "The Darkness Between Stars". E provando que eles não apenas uma promessa e sim uma realidade no cenário europeu, agora tivemos "I Djävulens Avbild" (Na imagem do diabo), um registro onde a velocidade é a chave para o quem a frente, os vocais nos criam uma catarse de caos e destruição, confira ofensas a moral cristã representadas por: I djävulens avbild, Den eld som tär och förvrider e Blasfemiskt Crescendo

Review from Metal Temple

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 16:10:29 +0100

From: Metal Temple

Published: August 27, 2020

Original Link

OV SHADOWS is a Swedish black metal band and "I Djävulens Avbild" is their second full length release; they released an EP in 2016. This album is really crazy—-it is one-part full steam ahead, no holds barred black metal. Tremolo picking, inhuman drumming and blackened shrieks are some elements at play that will blast your ear hole. However, there is more to the album than cold from the void speed and aggression. The other part is layers of atmosphere that hang over the songs like a toxic cloud of death.

The opening track, "Den Eld Som Tär och Förvrider," begins with guns a blazing. The first few minutes will straight up rip your face off. But the middle portion of the song, and again towards the end, is where the band takes a more minimalist approach. The drums are slowed and the riffs sort of hang there in a hypnotized manner. These little moments of sparking creativity go a long way with the album's enjoyment. It makes each song have something worth anticipating but also makes the furious parts all the bombastic and searing. Even hardcore black metal fans who scoff at the idea of black metal doing something outside its lines will still want to hear this. The atmospheric elements are so ingrained to the band’s style that the transitions are completely smooth and very natural feeling.

"Under Dödens Vingar" tones things down for a steady wall of blackened sound that washes over everything in its path. The raw-ish production lends the track a venomous bite and overall dark tone to give the effect of a harrowing journey. “Anakoretens Gap” begins as a doom style slow dirge but the drums wash it away and start unrelenting attacks—the vocals are especially potent, screaming to the point of near incomprehension. The slower parts return here and there for a nice break in the speed but also serves to making the more brutal parts even more so.

The title track is a personal favorite on the album—-I loved the way it starts out with the clean notes and drums building up to ultimate presentation. The guitars really grab you and pull you through the song like some sadistic gauntlet. The last minute of the song is filled with hypnotic laced groove style riffs.

The final track, "Av Kunskap Krönt Till Gud" is also a highlight. The bass and drums ride up and down like blackened waves, the water carrying the guitars and vocals into brackish waters where they all converge around the four-minute mark in explosive outburst. OV SHADOWS' "I Djävulens Avbild" is a black metal album that does an excellent job in balancing its more traditional elements with plenty of stormy atmosphere.

Rating: 8/10

Reviewed by: Justin "Witty City" Wittenmeier

Review from Third Eye Cinema

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 19:47:22 +0100

From: Third Eye Cinema

Published: August 22, 2020

Original Link

Now this is black metal. Don’t take that as an endorsment of quality,

necessarily…just that if you’re putting Nubivagant on the same shelf as Ov Shadows, you’ll know instantly which one doesn’t belong.

Even so, this is pretty solid Swedish school black metal, not quite the empty pursuit of speed that is Norsecore, but still falling well within the sonic radar of bands that have at least dipped their toes into if not become infamous for their championing of said subgenre. Urgehal, Tsjuder, even some early or more recent iterations of Marduk could apply as similar to these guys – just more in terms of their more midtempo and darker moments.

That said, there is a tad too much attention to the blastbeat here, to the point where even the most droning and haunting of riffs is accompanied by a barrage of nonstop fluttering chaos. In other words, it’s black metal, circa the later second wave of the mid to late 90’s.

It’s polished enough and bears enough of an accomplished feel that it tends to transcend the boredom and ennui that should append to such template material. Only, strangely enough, on the title track and its successor “spotsk” does this formula fail them, devolving into yawn inducing aimlessness (and in the latter case, Inquisition swipes).

Overall, not bad, and certainly better than you’d expect given the limitations they set on themselves. Just watch out for those slower, more meandering excursions to absolutely nowhere.