Ereb Altor - Gastrike
Napalm Records
Viking/Doom/Black Metal
7 songs (45'08'')
Release year: 2012
Napalm Records
Reviewed by Jared
Archive review

With the music of Bathory burned deeply into their hearts, Ragnar and Mat of the doom metal band Isole took to more aggressive patterns with Ereb Altor which was formed in 2003. The music is still tied into a doom metal sound, but done so with more Viking and black metal influences. Said to be similar in sound and tied around Bathory, the album Gastrike is a mature sounding album with great aggressive and epic moments.

A menacing start the album has with The Gathering of Witches. A slow simple riff chugs darkly along a mad path. The beginning is a hostile punch of metal, but following closely after is a slower doom track entitled Dance of Darkness. Found here is a great mix of slow, depressive, and catchy guitar hooks, until it decides to leave all calmness behind and sets free strong blast beats and melodic black metal riffing.

The album’s more epic moments, such as the commanding song Dispellation, combines strong heavy guitars to very moving vocals. There isn't much question to what is the finest track on the album, as Dispellation would make more than aware. It’s Viking and fantasy style feel sends this track into a grand journey from beginning to end.

I Djupet Så Svar, starts with a more simple battle sounding riff, one that would fit appropriately before the start of a Viking charge. Clean vocals make up the majority of the second half of the track that makes this one especially memorable due to its heroic sounding nature. But the final track, Seven, breaks loose with more violent and fierce black metal sounds. It gets down right heavy at times with sluggishly rich and hammering guitar riffs.

Gastrike is a solid work by Ereb Altor. After spending some time with this one and a few other works from the band, I find that their debut, By Honour, is still very much superior. However, Gastrike is filled with epic hymns, rich in black and Viking metal inspirations.

Killing Songs :
The Gathering of Witches, Dance of Darkness, Dispellation, Seven
Jared quoted 70 / 100
Other albums by Ereb Altor that we have reviewed:
Ereb Altor - The End reviewed by Alex and quoted 80 / 100
1 readers voted
Average:
 80
Your quote was: 80.
Change your vote

There are 0 replies to this review. Last one on Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:35 pm
View and Post comments