Metal Reviews

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This is a solid album, for sure; you should really have a listen to their earlier material (if you haven't already), especially the splits, though Häxan and Spectres Over Transylania are top notch black metal as well. Nothing fancy, "progressive" or grouindbreaking, just oldschool black metal done right.

Nice to see this reviewed.

Spectres was decent: hope this is better. I'm going to check out some of those other black/doom recommendations you made, thanks Charles.

Spectres is better IMO, it took a couple of listens (which is unusual for me) but after the second spin, it all came together.

Cultes des Ghoules has a very authentic ritualistic feel to it that is rare in the genre.

Yeah I agree about their feel: it is something unique they have. I see a lot of reviewers compare them to old Bathory: would you agree?

They sound nothing like Bathory to me.

I checked this out months ago, after it was getting heaps of praise at another metal forum, and was thoroughly disappointed. The freakish and sinister elements of this record came across as kitsch to me; in particular, Vintage Black Magic was one of the more unintentionally hilarious tracks I've heard this year. Scott Walker's The Drift sounds waaaay darker than this stuff. Moreover, the songs have no reason being as long as they do (Vintage Black Magic, again, goes nowhere throughout its duration), and the singer can't decide who the hell he wants to mimic. How's about ya just sound like yourself?

All in all, it gets a 60/100 from me. There's some cool riffs here and there -- but A Blaze in the Northern Sky is far superior in every single aspect, and sounds genuinely evil.