Augrimmer guitarist Nord must be a very patient and dedicated man. He kept the dream and the passion going for 10 years, the band originally founded in 1998, Autumnal Heavens being Augrimmer’s first official label-associated release. Knowing myself, personally, if I carried on with the project for that long, whatever the project was, I would have way overanalyzed every single detail. Augrimmer manages not to fall into that trap.

The three actual songs on the MCD offer a mixture of Norwegian grimness, Finnish melody and just the right touch of psychedelia so prevalent these days in German black metal (Anael, Verdunkeln). Even when the tone gets to be harsher and edgier (Of Endless Fall is the Land Below), the band manages to find room for a darker acoustic passage, an every track’s feature on Autumnal Heavens. Augrimmer melodies are restrained and sorrowful (Spectres of Mortality), rather than sugary, which does not make a mockery of the proceedings.

With the production being not very raw, but still rather thin, the bass is not quite audible, the emphasis in the mix is on the guitars. And deservedly so, as Nord uses the instrument well, with a number of long winding penetrating solos. The drums are pushed back, but even then it seems that the beat does not quite catch up to the fast tremolo (title track). There are some interesting guitar approaches used on the MCD, with echoes and fades, creating longing melancholic atmosphere. Vocalist Satan does sound quite a bit like more audible, down to individual word pronunciation, higher pitch, and definitely less raspy Abbath.

Augrimmer may not be the most original of bands, inspired in equal part by Immortal and early Thy Serpent circa Forests of Witchery. Yet, the MCD is absolutely pleasant to listen to, and that is what should count. A shorter release being the perfect length it would be interesting to see how the Germans would hold up on the full album. January of 2009, being the snowiest month ever on record in the place where I live, provided a perfect background for Augrimmer music, while I had it. In the end, in the spirit of spreading the word, I gave Autumnal Heavens to a friend, who is dabbling into black metal, does not really care if he has listened to all the classics, but wants something apolitical, less intimidating, tuneful and not dripping with rawness. I am sure he will like it.