Having somehow managed to miss reviewing the latest opuses (opi?) from Krieg and Wolvhammer, it seemed only right to try and claw back something, and this handy split seemed to solve the problem. Taking a single song from each band, it's more of a collector's item than a must-have, although the snapshot given of each is more than enough to prove their quality. Opening with Wolvhammer, the suitably grimy Slave to the Grime is a compellingly coruscating slice of modern USBM, matching the self-loathing of recent Nachtmystium to a more solid musical base that melds black metal, hardcore and grimy doom well. It's an untraditional but effective mix for them, listenable and groovy with just enough foot-tapping catchiness to elevate it from the many others that make this sort of gloomy blackened sludge.

Krieg follow with Eternal Victim, moving towards more atmospheric turf with a sound that's equally black metal, very much akin to the band's known sound but feeling freshly vicious for all that. The band have something of a genius at the helm in the form of Imperial (or Neil Jameson, as he's become known of late with the Blake Judd drama) and his tortured snarl leads the band well. Those who haven't checked these band's recent albums out should take this as a reminder to do so.