A Rage of Rapture Against the Dying of the Light

I must admit, it’s been a while since I was really interested by a debut black metal release, but this EP from Dutch newcomers Terzij de Horde is worth the attention of any follower of the genre’s more intriguing modern realms. The songs here take clear influence from several of the genres modern innovators, generating something that is energising, evocative and extremely well constructed, although one which perhaps hasn’t yet quite found a unique space of its own. The Cascadian scene is a probably big influence, although maybe the most obviously high profile reference point, I would submit, is Ireland’s Altar of Plagues. That said, there may be a more superficial link to someone like Panopticon, not just in the hazy, lone-survivalist acoustic interludes, but also in the radical left politics.

Short opener Prometheans is an intense introduction, with a screeching Norsk tremolo blast alternating with sections of halting, dissonant rhythm section stabs. It’s the latter which leads into the opening of the first of the three longer tracks (averaging about eight minutes), Vertigo- A Mithraic Ritual. The crashing, arrhythmic rumble and frantic vocals plays a trick similar to Altar of Plagues’s aping of the extreme doom act Khanate in periods of White Tomb. But this is before it develops into a laid back (relatively speaking) stride reminiscent of something like Nightfall from Nachtmystium’s latest.

Thus it continues, a shifting mix of blisteringly intense, fast black metal and more left-of-centre elements that we are only recently starting to seep through into the genre. The Roots of Doomsday Anxiety, again, flies into a riotous frenzy of zigzagging riffing before grinding into a spasmodic halt, only to be washed away by a creaking banjo serenade that lulls you into an uncomfortable quiet. We close on perhaps the simplest tune here but maybe also the strongest, Non Timetis Messor. This is a minimalist, ice cold tremolo pummelling, with a poignant, enveloping melodic progression winding its way around, and around, becoming as mesmerising as the very best black metal should.

Very strong, overall. As perhaps comes across from the above, this is a combination of different black metal influences worked together with real craftsmanship. Maybe at times you’re a little bit too conscious of those influences on this EP, but in the future I see this band producing something immense.